At the season seven Gabrielle Trainor Medal last Friday night the club inducted its first two AFLW players as Life Members.

Club stalwarts Alicia Eva and Cora Staunton were the first two female players added for their achievements and service to the club.

The duo both brought up their 50-game milestones throughout this season. Eva was the first GIANTS player to reach the milestone in round five while Staunton brought up the half-century in round 10 with 50 consecutive games for the GIANTS.

Eva played in the first-ever game of the first-ever AFLW season, playing seven games with the Collingwood Magpies. Joining the GIANTS in 2018, Eva won the club’s Gabrielle Trainor Medal in her first season and was also named in her first All Australian side. She has captained the club since 2019 and continues to lead the way in the coaching space.

After a 25-year Gaelic career Staunton joined the GIANTS for the 2018 season and has been the team's leading goal kicker for the past four seasons.

The pair join the likes of inaugural club coach Kevin Sheedy, inaugural AFL captains Phil Davis and Callan Ward, 325-gamer Heath Shaw and current men’s co-captains Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene and Josh Kelly.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL LIST OF LIFE MEMBERS

Current AFLW captain Alicia Eva felt a huge sense of appreciation when Chief Executive Officer Dave Matthews called her to inform her of her induction.

“It’s a huge honour, life membership is pretty incredible,” she said.

“When I stopped and reflected, I've actually lived a bit of a life here at the GIANTS, particularly in the last few years. It’s an incredibly special moment and recognition.”

Eva’s initial thought upon finding out of her induction the day of the event was that her Dad would not be present in the room – one of her biggest supporters.

“I need to thank my family and my Dad in particular. He’s my biggest supporter in footy and he would be absolutely thrilled for me.”

The current captain paid tribute to former AFLW coach Alan McConnell.

“When I came up to the GIANTS Alan looked at me from a different lens, he made me a better player, he had belief in me,” Eva said.

Eva paid tribute to former AFLW captain Amanda Farrugia, teammates Pepa Randall and Tanya Hetherington and fellow inductee Staunton.

She finished by thanking her teammates:

“To the rest of my teammates, thank you. It’s why we play a team sport, it’s because we love the people in sport,” she said.

“I feel privileged, it’s an honour to be able to lead you girls. I don’t take it lightly; I probably take it too seriously at times but it’s because I love it.

“I'm incredibly honoured, thank you to the GIANTS, thank you to the exec, thank you to Bri (Harvey). Thank you Tony (Shepherd) and go the GIANTS.”

Irishwoman Cora Staunton echoed Eva's sense of appreciation on the induction.

"I was hugely shocked when I received the call from Dave Matthews," she said.

“Life membership to an AFL club is probably something I don’t quite understand yet.

“But when you look at the list of the names in the GIANTS’ life members list, it’s a massive honour.”

Staunton paid tribute to her family back home in Ireland and to the man responsible for bringing her to Sydney to play the game.

“My family, I'd like to thank them. They’re up week in, week out in the middle of the night supporting me. They’re huge GIANTS supporters, as is all my friends, so to my Dad, my brothers and sisters, niece and nephews, I thank them for all their support.

“To Alan McConnell, thank you for everything you’ve done for me.

“At my age I've gone through a huge amount of coaches and played a number of different sports, but without doubt you’re the best coach I have ever worked with. Your care for everyone, particularly those that come from the other side of the world. You’ve helped me be the best version of myself both on and off the field and I owe everything I've achieved in this sport on and off the field to you.”