The GIANTS have recognised and celebrated one of the hardest workers within the GIANTS family, with Canberra’s Melissa Cabban crowned the 2024 GIANTS Woman of the Year.

Announced at the club’s recent annual Ladies Lunch held at Crown Sydney, Ms Cabban was celebrated for her amazing work within the GIANT Hearts, a coterie group formed in Canberra in 2015 to combine a passion for the GIANTS and business while actively promoting female involvement with AFL and philanthropic initiatives.

An inaugural member of the GIANT Hearts, Ms Cabban has been a key pillar in helping attract new people into the GIANTS family and has been crucial to the GIANT Hearts’ amazing efforts to continually raise upwards of $30,000 each year.

As well as holding functions during the year, the GIANT Hearts provides support and mentoring to staff and partners of players, while also assisting with the growth of the GIANTS by encouraging passionate women to be part of the club.

One of the longest-serving members of the GIANT Hearts, Ms Cabban is the first Canberra recipient of the GIANTS Woman of the Year award.

This year’s proud recipient was honoured with the award at another hugely successful GIANTS’ Ladies Lunch held last week, with the announcement warmly received in the room, particularly by the two tables of GIANT Hearts who travelled from Canberra to Sydney for the luncheon.

“It’s very overwhelming, I’m really honoured,” Ms Cabban said accepting the award.

“I got invited to join the GIANT Hearts not knowing much about AFL but I’m so glad I did. I’ve had an amazing experience and I’m so glad to be part of the community.

“The women that I’ve met are from diverse backgrounds in Canberra and there’s always new people joining the group and we keep on networking and learning more about the game.

“I’d just like to say a big thank you to Jack Masters who has looked after us from day one and very much made us feel part of the AFL community - it’s been great,” Ms Cabban added.

“Everything from going to the games, through to supporting the Foundation. It’s just been a great experienceand something very special to be part of.”

Ms Cabban credits her involvement with GIANT Hearts to the creation of her thriving business advisory firm, GENFOCUS, which she founded with fellow GIANT Hearts member, Ingrid Workman.

“We both had been in the professional services network in Canberra for a long time and Ingrid was also an inaugural member in the GIANT Hearts, so we knew of each other,” Ms Cabban said.

“Then one conversation led to us starting our business together … and now we are seven years into that business. 

“It’s called GENFOCUS. We are a business advisory firm, and we found a niche in the market to provide something that your average accountant doesn’t normally do - so it’s been really successful.”

Presented annually, the GIANTS Woman of the Year is presented to a female within the GIANTS family who lives the club’s values to engage, grow, challenge, and respect, and who has an impact on the club in a significant way.