Season 2016 was a year of milestones for the young GIANTS. On-field the club enjoyed their most successful season yet, reaching a Preliminary Final after finishing fourth at the end of the Premiership season.

Beating reigning Premier Hawthorn at home by 75 points was a significant moment, as were the back-to-back wins over the Swans, at home later in the season and in the Qualifying Final in front of more than 60,000 fans in Sydney.

The GIANTS' season would come to a heartbreaking end as they were defeated by the Western Bulldogs in a thrilling Preliminary Final at GIANTS Stadium. In a see-sawing battle that has since been dubbed one of the greatest finals in AFL history, the Bulldogs won by six points and progress through to the 2016 Grand Final.

Despite that disappointment, the GIANTS took home some silverware with the NEAFL side claiming the club's first premiership, with a thrilling one point win over the Swans Reserves in the NEAFL Grand Final at Blacktown International Sportspark.

For the first time the club had multiple All Australian representatives, with vice-captain Heath Shaw and young forward Toby Greene recognised for outstanding seasons. 

It was a changing of the guard as Greene also took out the 2016 Kevin Sheedy Medal following an exceptional season in a new role as a forward.

Off the field, the club continued to grow significantly, with membership passing 15,000 for the first time, as well as huge uplifts in TV ratings and game attendances, with sell-outs in both Sydney and Canberra.

The GIANTS were announced as one of just eight clubs to field a the inaugural AFL Women's competition for 2017 and the only club in NSW/ACT. They announced Western Australians Emma Swanson and Renee Forth as the club's marquee signings and Tim Schmidt as the inaugural coach.

2016 also saw the GIANTS begin a strategic partnership with the new team in the Super Netball League, GIANTS Netball.