This year’s premier the WSU GIANTS stormed home in the last half of the season to claim the club’s first ever piece of silverware in an epic Grand Final triumph over Sydney.
Here is the Giants’ season in review.
By the Numbers
Wins: 17
Losses: 3
Draws: 0
Ladder position: 1st
Percentage: 225.93
Last year: 3rd (from 11 teams)
Top 5 NEAFL MVP votes
51: Jack Steele (9th overall)
43: Adam Tomlinson
34: Rhys Palmer
34: Daniel Lloyd
33: Sam Reid
Snapshot: The WSU GIANTS sat in sixth position at the half-way point of the season before a breakthrough one-point victory over the Swans in Round 11 kick-started their run home. They only lost one more match for the rest of the year on their way to claiming the NEAFL flag.
Best Win: The GIANTS and Sydney played out one of the matches of the season in Round 11, but their Grand Final showdown will go down as one of the best in NEAFL history. The margin never reached double digits in the second half, and the lead changed five times in an epic 36-minute last quarter as the Giants won a thriller by four points.
Worst Loss: The WSU GIANTS had a slow start to the season and faded late against defending premier NT Thunder at home in Round 5. They were held goalless for the second week in a row to lose by 13 points as the Giants slipped to a 2-3 start to the season.
Star Power: Jack Steele was again a consistent contributor all season in the NEAFL to finish inside the top 10 of the NEAFL MVP voting. Harry Himmelberg reinvented himself as a defender to earn an AFL debut and NEAFL Team of the Year honours in the same year, while captain Sam Reid was inspirational in leading the club to a historic premiership.
Next Generation: The WSU GIANTS had a number of contributors from their academy play a big role this year, with Connor Byrne earning a Rising Star nomination and the likes of Connor Owen-Auburn and Harry Macreadie doing their AFL Draft chances no harm.
This article first appeared on NEAFL.com.au on Friday, October 7.
