GIANTS midfield young gun Tim Taranto’s impressive third season has seen him named in the fan-voted AFL Players’ Association 22under22 team. 

Taranto, who has averaged 28 disposals and six tackles a game in 2019, was named as a follower in the team, which celebrates the league’s best players aged 22 and under, at Thursday night’s AFL Players MVP awards.

With changes to the look of the GIANTS’ midfield in 2019 – including injuries depriving the likes of Callan Ward, Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly games at various points – Taranto has embraced the opportunity to step up his game and shoulder more responsibility on the ball.

The increased time in the midfield and added responsibility has resulted in the 21-year-old’s best season statistically, with increases in average disposals (+7.35), tackles (+.36), clearances (+1.44) and contested possessions (+1.75), while he has also kicked four more goals to date than in the 2018 season.

When the highly-valued midfielder signed a two-year contract extension earlier this season, he said he was loving his time at the GIANTS – and it is clearly showing in his output on the footy field.

Fellow midfielder Jacob Hopper was incredibly unlucky to miss out on selection following a stellar season that has yielded career-best averages of 26 disposals, 14 contested possessions and six clearances a game as he became a vital part of the GIANTS midfield.

Hopper, along with fiercely-competitive defender Sam Taylor and tenacious forward Brent Daniels - who was the NAB AFL Rising Star nominee for round 23 - were nominated in the initial 40-player 22under22 squad.

Taranto is the first GIANT to make the team since Josh Kelly in 2017, while Zac Williams (2016), Jeremy Cameron (2015 and 2013), Callan Ward (2012) and Phil Davis (2012) are GIANTS who have previously been named in the team.

Carlton’s Patrick Cripps was voted the AFL Players’ Association MVP by his peers, while Carlton’s Sam Walsh was voted best first-year player, West Coast’s Shannon Hurn was voted best captain, and Richmond’s Dylan Grimes took home the Robert Rose Award for most courageous player.

The GIANTS’ nominations for the AFL Players’ Association awards were:
MVP: Lachie Whitfield, Nick Haynes, Jeremy Cameron
Most Courageous: Nick Haynes
Best Captain: Phil Davis, Callan Ward
Best First-Year Player: Jackson Hately