The GIANTS’ 2024 AFLW season will be celebrated in style on Thursday night at the Gabrielle Trainor Medal held at Crown Sydney.
As we prepare to crown the GIANTS’ AFLW club champion on Thursday night, GIANTS Media has taken a look at some of the contenders for this year’s honour following a host of strong performances across the 2024 AFLW season.
How does the count work?
After every game, Head Coach Cam Bernasconi - with input from his assistant coaches – awards votes to as many players as he sees fit on a scale of 1-6, with a maximum of 6 votes available per player per round.
The votes from across the season are then tallied up, with the player with the most votes crowned the Gabrielle Trainor Medalist.
Previous Winners:
2023 – Zarlie Goldsworthy
2022 (S7) – Alyce Parker
2022 - Alyce Parker
2021 – Alyce Parker
2020 – Alyce Parker
2019 – Rebecca Beeson
2018 – Alicia Eva
2017 – Jessica Dal Pos
2024 Gabrielle Trainor Medal Contenders:
Alyce Parker
A superstar of the competition, Parker is looking to create further history as she chases a remarkable fifth Gabrielle Trainor Medal on Thursday night.
The only multiple Gabrielle Trainor Medallist in GIANTS history, Parker incredibly won four straight club champion awards before her reign finished with a runner-up finish last year to young gun Zarlie Goldsworthy.
Parker was her usual prolific self in season 2024 and is every chance to claim a record fifth Gabrielle Trainor Medal on Thursday after finishing inside the AFLW’s top 10 for both disposals per game (24.6) and clearances per game (5.8).
Rebecca Beeson
A previous winner of the award after claiming the honour in 2019, Beeson took her game to another level in 2024 as she seemed to thrive under her new position as captain.
One of the most composed midfielders in the competition, Beeson was brilliant in the middle for the GIANTS this season as she finished just outside the AFLW’s top 10 for disposals (22.5), tackles (7.2), and clearances (five) per game.
Beeson’s remarkably consistent season will be sure to see her feature prominently in Thursday’s count as she vies to become just the second ever dual Gabrielle Trainor Medallist alongside Alyce Parker.
Eilish O’Dowd
One of the best stories of the season, O’Dowd burst onto the scene in 2024 with a brilliant debut season after transitioning to AFLW following a starring Gaelic football career back in her home country of Ireland.
Despite having never kicked an Australian rules football until arriving in Australian in January, O’Dowd adapted to the game seamlessly to quickly become one of the side’s most exciting and damaging players.
Blessed with elite speed and endurance for a ruck, O’Dowd’s ability to break lines and take the game on was a huge weapon for the GIANTS this season and her string of strong performances will no doubt see her feature heavily in Thursday’s count.
Considered unlucky not to make the All-Australian squad, O’Dowd finished second amongst all rucks in the competition for disposals per game at 15.3 per game, while finishing fifth across all players for total bounces.
Zarlie Goldsworthy
Crowned last year’s club champion at the record-breaking age of 18, Goldsworthy will no doubt be in the mix for back-to-back honours after another strong season from the teenager.
Still just 19 years old, Goldsworthy finished the 2024 campaign as the GIANTS’ leading goalkicker for the second straight season to show she is one of the competition’s most talented young stars.
Finishing with 13 goals, Goldsworthy also averaged 15 touches and 6.7 tackles per game across the season which is sure to give her every chance of claiming back-to-back Gabrielle Trainor Medals on Thursday night.
Tarni Evans
One of the league’s most exciting young stars, Evans continues to be one of the GIANTS’ most important players across the 2024 season.
A star key defender across the start of her career, Evans spent the majority of the 2024 season ahead of the footy where she continued to provide a strong target ahead of the footy to finish second on the club’s goalkicking tally.
Great in the air and full of class and composure, Evans put together another strong season in 2024 and has put herself in a position to vote heavily in Thursday night’s count.
Isabel Huntington
Possessing arguably the best hands in the league, Huntington was moved to defence for the 2024 season where her ability to control the airways became a huge weapon for the GIANTS.
Blessed with great timing and anticipation, Huntington finished first across the entire competition for intercept marks in 2024 with 3.2 per game.
Further to this the former Bulldog also finished fourth in contested marks per game (1.3) and fifth in total marks per game (4.7).
While not as flashy as some of her fellow star teammates, Huntington’s fantastic season down back has her in a strong position to poll well on Thursday night.
To keep up to date with all the results from the 2024 Gabrielle Trainor Medal on Thursday night, follow @GWSGIANTSAFLW on Instagram.
