To help bring you up to speed on all things GIANTS AFLW, we’re breaking down each area of the ground and assessing how the squad is placed heading into the 2023 season.
The coach:
Georgia Walker returns for her second season as the GIANTS’ backline coach.
Walker was a player for the Collingwood Magpies in the early years of AFLW but had her playing career cut short due to concussion complications.
The 24-year-old worked alongside head coach Cam Bernasconi in the GIANTS Academy, before joining him in the women’s program ahead of season seven.
Ins:
Chloe Dalton – 30-year-old Dalton enters her third season with the GIANTS but is set to play a new-look role in the GIANTS’ backline. Previously playing as a midfielder, she will bolster the backline by bringing her renowned pace and speed.
Cambridge McCormick – Standing at 180cm tall, McCormick last season played the role as the GIANTS’ go-to ruck. For the 2023 season she moves to the backline, adding some height to the GIANTS’ defensive structure.
Outs:
Tanya Hetherington – Experienced defender Tanya Hetherington announced her retirement in the final game of last season. She played 46 games in the orange and charcoal and has since signed with the Swans as their forwards coach.
Brid Stack – The 11-time All-Ireland winner called her time on her AFLW career after two playing seasons in the orange and charcoal. Across 19 games she played a role as a key defender, adding great speed and good agility to the GIANTS’ defence.
Unchanged:
Katherine Smith – Smith was the pick of the defenders in season seven, taking out the defensive moment of the year at last year’s Gabrielle Trainor Medal. The 24-year-old is super reliable and loves to stand up and put her body on the line.
Jasmine Grierson – The 25-year-old battled with a calf injury in the back half of pre-season but is back to full training heading into the season opener on Sunday, September 3. The GIANTS’ best intercept marker last season, Grierson is looking clean and strong and ready for her eighth season in the competition.
Tarni Evans – Evans had a breakout season last year, catapulting herself onto the AFLW scene. The 21-year-old was one of the most consistent players in the season seven line up and with a full pre-season under her belt, the newly elevated leadership member is ready to take her game to the next level.
Grace Hill - A late cross-code addition to the GIANTS' list last season, Grace Hill has come so far over the past 12 months. She has transitioned from a second ruck to a key back and is becoming a crafty one-on-one defender.
Jodie Hicks – The former dual athlete knows what it takes to compete at the top level. A reliable player for the GIANTS’ outfit, Hicks is one of the best kicks in the backline. She provides lots of offensive support and generates a lot of turnovers from her pressure.
Tess Cattle – Fresh on the list last season, Cattle earnt selection for the GIANTS in the last game of season seven. She has had a solid pre-season, learnt lots and is developing fast.
Pepa Randall – Randall made a successful return from her ACL injury in the GIANTS’ practice match against the Tigers earlier this month. She returns to the GIANTS’ backline as reliable and trustworthy as ever and will be key to the success of the backline this season.
Isadora McLeay – After joining the GIANTS’ list ahead of season six, the young GIANT is in the final stages of her ACL rehabilitation and almost ready to put her hand up for selection. As a player she’s smart, athletic and is a strong mark.
State of Play:
Much of the same but better. This pre-season has been about refinement for the GIANTS’ backline. They want to be a backline that is feared by the opposition and one that is extremely competitive.
The defensive line has grown in numbers and it’s going to be competitive for spots come team selection.
More of the Same Please:
Tarni Evans catapulted herself onto the scene last season and was rewarded with a top-three finish at the Gabrielle Trainor Medal and selection in the AFLPA’s 22-Under-22. She was a consistent and reliable utility but is beginning to cement herself as one of the best young defenders in the competition. Walker believes she will be in serious contention for All-Australian in the seasons to come.
One to Watch:
Chloe Dalton – in her new look role, Chloe Dalton is the defender to watch this year. With her body in good shape – following disrupted seasons in season six and seven – the Rugby 7s Olympic Gold Medallist is raring to go. She plays an exciting brand of footy with her run and carry, has the ability to blitz and come forward and can outrun any opposition.
