Co-captain Callan Ward has been rewarded for his outstanding season with selection in the All-Australian 40-man squad.

Ward has enjoyed one of his best seasons yet, playing 20 games and averaging almost 25 disposals and six tackles a game.

The 24-year-old has helped lead the young GIANTS side to five of their six wins this season, only missing the final two games through injury.

He began the year with a bang, winning the Brett Kirk Medal for best player on the ground in the GIANTS’ historic win over the Swans with a 31-disposal performance.

Ward has been one of the most consistent contributors to the side, particularly with fellow co-captain Phil Davis missing 10 games through injury.

Highlights of his season include 32 touches against Gold Coast in Round 5, a career-high 40 disposals against Port Adelaide in Round 7, 31 touches in the win against Brisbane in Round 13 and 31 disposals against Geelong in Round 18.

He is ranked sixth in the competition for total clearances, seventh for clearances per game and 10th in contested possessions per game.

He is ranked 15th in the competition for total tackles and hit double digits three times, including 11 tackles in Round 3 against Melbourne, 13 against Hawthorn in Round 11 and 10 against Fremantle in Round 17.

GIANTS ruckman Shane Mumford was unlucky to miss out on selection in the squad after a stellar year since crossing from the Swans at the end of 2013.

Mumford has played 17 games for the year, averaging 36 hit outs and six tackles a game. He is ranked sixth in the competition for total hit outs, despite missing five games with injury, and second for hit outs per game.

Mumford had 60 hit outs in the GIANTS’ Round 3 win over Melbourne, the third most ever recorded.

If Ward is selected in the final 22-man team at the Virgin Australia 2014 AFL All Australian Awards function on September 16, he will become just the second GIANTS player to be named in the side after Jeremy Cameron last year.

Both Ward and Mumford are among the leading contenders for the Kevin Sheedy Medal, which will be held this Friday night in Sydney.