The GIANTS have strengthened their 2017 playing list by adding GIANTS Academy forward Zach Sproule and former Fremantle Docker Tendai Mzungu to the rookie list.
Mzungu joined his second AFL club at pick 15 while 18-year Sproule was pre-listed from the GIANTS Academy.
Sproule, from Albury in southern New South Wales, is a versatile tall forward with top end endurance.
After spending time in the NAB AFL Academy at the start of the year, he spent 2016 playing for the NSW/ACT Rams, Murray Bushrangers in the TAC Cup and the WSU GIANTS in the NEAFL.
Mzungu joins the GIANTS after playing 102 games for Fremantle across six seasons.
The 30-year-old played five games for Fremantle in 2016 and 14 for the club’s WAFL affiliate Peel Thunder, including their maiden Premiership.
A hard tackling, contested ball winner, Mzungu also has an eye for goal and holds the honour of kicking Fremantle’s first goal in a Grand Final.
He joins former Dockers team-mate Matt de Boer at the GIANTS, after de Boer was selected with pick 58 of the 2016 NAB AFL Draft on Friday night.
GIANTS National Recruiting Manager Adrian Caruso said: “Zach and Tendai are two players at the opposite ends of their careers and both are valuable additions to the GIANTS’ list.
“Zach is a very talented player who’s come through our GIANTS Academy and we’re delighted to add him to our list after he was overlooked at the Draft.
“He can play both ends of the ground, is an impressive runner for his size and we think he’ll develop nicely being part of an elite environment.
“Tendai is an experienced player who, like his good mate Matt de Boer who we selected on Friday night, played a lot of football for Fremantle when they were right up the top of the competition.
“He can play a variety of roles and brings valuable leadership and experience that we think will help guide our younger players.”
Sproule and Mzungu join 2016 rookies Sam Reid and Daniel Lloyd and former decathlete Jake Stein on the GIANTS’ rookie list for 2017.
As previously announced, retired defender Joel Patfull will remain on the GIANTS’ list as a rookie, fulfilling a required player payment and the club adhering to the Total Player Payment (TPP) obligations.
