The GIANTS’ AFL Women’s leadership group has a new look in 2020 with three new additions to the five-player group to be led by Alicia Eva.
Cora Staunton, Pepa Randall and Britt Tully have been elevated to the group for the first time, while Jessica Dal Pos continues in a leadership role for the fourth-consecutive season.
The four players were recently voted in by their peers to support Eva who will captain the GIANTS for the first time in 2020.
Irish forward Staunton is highly respected by her teammates and has been added to the leadership group after displaying strong leadership and exceptional resilience over her first two seasons at the club.
The Gaelic football icon has quickly adapted to a new sport after joining the GIANTS as an other-sport rookie and has shown incredible professionalism in her recovery from a broken leg suffered in early 2019 to be ready for the 2020 season.
“Obviously it’s a huge honour, it’s my third year here now and I never expected to be in this position,” Staunton said.
“To be voted in by your teammates is huge and I’m looking forward to working together with the rest of the girls.
“It’s a very experienced leadership group led by our captain Alicia, and Jess Dal Pos has been in it for a number of years and it’s great to see both Britt and Pepa elevated after being at the club for a number of years.
“Hopefully we can bring the team to a really good place and have a really good, successful season.”
Randall, who joined the GIANTS ahead of the 2018 AFLW season, has developed into one of the competition’s best one-on-one defenders and has shown great leadership in her time in orange and charcoal.
Tully, who returns to the GIANTS in 2020 after stepping away from AFLW commitments 12 months ago, has shown strong leadership characteristics in her previous two seasons at the GIANTS.
The new look leadership group follows the departure of Emma Swanson and Christina Bernardi while veteran defender Tanya Hetherington has stepped away from the official leadership group but will assist with the team’s future leaders program.
In a first for the GIANTS’ AFLW program, the club has elected not to name a vice-captain with the duties to be shared by the four players.
The GIANTS will today step up their preparations when they take part in a match simulation session with the Crows in Adelaide.
GIANTS members and fans will get their first chance to see the GIANTS in action when they play Brisbane in a practice match at Tom Wills Oval, Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday, January 26 at 9:00am.
The GIANTS begin their 2020 NAB AFL Women’s season a fortnight later against the Gold Coast Suns at Blacktown International SportsPark on Saturday, February 8 at 1:10pm.
