Popular ruck Fleur Davies will make her long-awaited AFLW debut in the GIANTS’ season opener with the Swans at North Sydney Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Davies, taken with pick 64 in the 2022 NAB AFLW Draft, will finally get her chance to shine after more than 12 months watching on from the sidelines due to a shoulder injury suffered in a practice match on the eve of her debut season.
Standing 185cm tall, the former Under-18 All Australian and Gold Coast Suns Academy member is a promising prospect for the GIANTS, with Davies’ ability to compete both in the air and on the ground, along with her ruck craft, impressing coaches in her 12 months at the club.
The bubbly 19-year-old was informed of the news by coach Cam Bernasconi at a club lunch, involving all players and staff, on Wednesday.
“It’s a great opportunity in this environment to announce that Fleur, you’ll make your debut on Sunday,” Bernasconi said to the cheers of Davies’ teammates.
Asked moments later what she was most excited about for her debut against the Swans, the self-professed ‘cheeky’ footballer was brash and honest.
“I’m most excited about winning,” she said.
Bernasconi said Davies’ debut was great reward for the adversity endured since joining the club.
“It’s great that Fleur gets the opportunity to play her first game of AFLW this weekend as she’s a player we recruited last year and we’ve got lots of faith that she’ll be a great player for us this season but also for many years to come as well,” he said.
“She’s got some really good traits that I think will hold up at the elite level and her thirst for competing is fantastic.
“After moving her whole life here last year and not getting to play a single game, to stick it out and work on her rehab, and her ability to crack in and have a really strong pre-season, it’s just awesome that she gets to run out for us on Sunday afternoon and she should be really proud.
“It’s one of the better moments when you get to announce players starting their careers and the roar that went up from the playing group and the staff as well was great.”
The news adds to a big week for the Davies family, with Fleur’s sister Darcie also set to make her AFLW debut this weekend for the Gold Coast Suns in their clash with Carlton on Saturday.
Davies will look to kickstart her career on Sunday in the second-ever AFLW Sydney Derby, with the first bounce at 3:05pm at North Sydney Oval.
