Looking to gain an extra foothold in the rugby-dominated demographic of New South Wales, the AFL explored the idea of introducing a new team based in the western heartland of Sydney.

In 2008, the league registered the name Western Sydney Football Club Ltd with ASIC, gaining support from the existing 16 clubs to bring in two new teams: one on the Gold Coast, and the other in Sydney. The AFL Commission announced a $100 million redevelopment of Sydney Showground Stadium late in 2008, with Team GWS winning the bid to claim the AFL’s 18th licence, announced by then-league CEO Andrew Demetriou in 2010.

GWS would represent Sydney’s western suburbs as well as the Australian Capital Territory, playing their home games at Sydney Olympic Park and Manuka Oval in Canberra. Due to enter the competition in 2012, Essendon coaching legend Kevin Sheedy was announced as the inaugural head coach of Greater Western Sydney, joined by Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams as his senior assistant.

Similar to the Gold Coast Suns, Greater Western Sydney were permitted to participate in the TAC Cup for one year before spending a season playing in the state league prior to their introduction to the AFL. However, while Gold Coast spent a year playing in the VFL, Greater Western Sydney instead played in the NEAFL.

Like the Suns, GWS announced the signing of a professional rugby league player, with Brisbane Broncos star Israel Folau agreeing to switch codes on a four-year deal worth up to six million dollars. In late 2010, it was announced that GWS would be known as the Giants and would play in an orange, white and charcoal guernsey, a stark difference to the blue, white and red jumper that the club played in during its TAC Cup year.

Prior to their entry into the NEAFL competition in 2011, the Giants were permitted exclusive access to a dozen 17-year-olds throughout Australia. Among the names to join GWS via this method included North Ballarat youngster Jeremy Cameron and Dandenong duo Adam Treloar and Dylan Shiel.

That year, the club was also allowed to poach up to 16 off-contract players from the other AFL clubs, like the Suns a year earlier. However, a key difference to Gold Coast’s situation was that the Giants could recruit opposition players over a two-year period, not just one.

Young Adelaide defender Phil Davis became the first player to join Greater Western Sydney from another club, announcing his intention to leave the Crows in August. He was then joined by Western Bulldogs midfielder Callan Ward and Rising Star winner from the Dockers Rhys Palmer.

Melbourne young gun Tom Scully, the number one draft pick from 2009, was rumoured to be one of the Giants’ top targets throughout the 2011 season, and it was confirmed when he was recruited on a six-year contract worth $6 million. Another Bulldog in Sam Reid was the last out-of-contract player to join the Giants from another club, with GWS deciding against recruiting any more a year later.

The 2011 draft was dominated by Greater Western Sydney, with the club holding 11 of the first 14 selections, including the number one pick, which they used on Eastern Ranges key forward Jonathon Patton. GWS were also given picks one and two for the mini-draft in both 2012 and 2013, but they could only be used as trade currency.

While the Giants recruited three fewer players from opposition clubs than Gold Coast, they enticed a group of recently retired players to return to the playing field. These players were Port Adelaide duo Chad Cornes and Dean Brogan, former Melbourne captain James McDonald and three-time premiership Lion Luke Power. McDonald and Power would sign as playing assistant coaches.

Power, Davis and Ward were named as joint co-captains of the club, with Greater Western Sydney playing their first AFL match in the opening game of the 2012 season, taking on crosstown rivals Sydney at ANZ Stadium. It took until Round 7 for GWS to register their first ever victory, coming from behind to defeat Gold Coast by 27 points in Canberra.

They would manage just one more win for the year, claiming the wooden spoon in their first year. After just 13 senior games, Folau gave up on his AFL career, retiring from the Giants. Already holding the first pick in the national draft for a second consecutive year, GWS were handed picks two and three by Gold Coast and Melbourne for the rights to draft Jack Martin and Jesse Hogan in the mini-draft.

In 2013, Hawthorn assistant coach Leon Cameron joined the Giants as a senior assistant, with his contract stipulating that he would spend one year under Sheedy before taking the senior reins permanently. It was another year spent anchored at the bottom of the ladder, with GWS getting thrashed by 100 points or more on five occasions as they lost their first 17 games, an unwanted feat last achieved by Fremantle in 2001. Their only win for the season came in Round 19, defeating Melbourne by 37 points. Holding the first two draft picks for yet another year, the Giants added Tom Boyd and Josh Kelly to their ranks.

With Leon Cameron now at the helm, the Giants started the 2014 season promisingly with a surprise victory over the Swans, their first ever win against their fierce rivals. With two wins from their opening three games, it appeared GWS had turned a corner in their development. However, it proved to be a false dawn, with Greater Western Sydney finishing 16th with six wins. Their 2015 campaign would be a major step forward for the Giants, winning seven of their first ten games. They would drop off in form as injuries mounted, finishing the season in 11th position.

The Giants improved dramatically in the 2016 season, winning 16 games in the regular campaign to finish in the top four, qualifying for the finals for the first time in club history. In a dream match-up for the AFL, the Giants played their first final against Sydney in front of over 60,000 at ANZ Stadium. After a tight first half, GWS outplayed the Swans after the main break, claiming a landmark six-goal win to earn a week off and a home preliminary final. They would face an in-form Western Bulldogs side, a club they had developed an intense rivalry with following the poaching of ex-Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen. In one of the best games of the modern era, the Giants fell short by just six points.

GWS backed their breakout year up with another superb campaign, spending all but the first few weeks of the 2017 season entrenched in the top four. In a qualifying final against the Adelaide Crows, the Giants were beaten soundly, bouncing back to win through to a preliminary final against Richmond at the MCG. Faced with a monster crowd of over 94,000, the Giants put up a good fight in the first half but fell away to a rampant Tigers outfit. In 2018, Greater Western Sydney were disappointing in the first half of the season and looked like missing out on the finals, but recovered to finish seventh. Playing yet another final against the Swans, this time at the SCG, the Giants easily got past their crosstown rivals with a 49-point win. A week later, they bowed out of the finals race with a tight ten-point loss to Collingwood.

The 2019 season saw the Giants qualify for the finals for a fourth consecutive year, finishing in sixth position to set up an elimination final against the Western Bulldogs. However, unlike their titanic struggle a few years earlier, GWS tore the Dogs apart by 58 points. They would then travel to the Gabba to face the Brisbane Lions in a semi-final. In one of the games of the season, the Giants caused an upset with a thrilling victory, setting up a preliminary final showdown with Collingwood at the MCG. Rank outsiders with the absence of some of their biggest stars, the Giants prevailed in one of the most memorable games in the history of the club, winning through to their first ever grand final. However, their meteoric rise from fledgling club to premiers fell well short, trounced by Richmond in the premiership decider by 89 points.

Best wins

Round 1, 2014 – Greater Western Sydney 15.9.99 defeated Sydney Swans 9.13.67 (Sydney Showgrounds)
Coming off a year in which they won a solitary game, no one gave the Giants much of a chance against a Sydney Swans side who were boasting a new recruit at full forward: two-time Coleman Medallist Lance Franklin. The fifth Sydney Derby carried extra spice, with Franklin making his debut for the Swans against the Giants, the very club that was courting him and widely expected to sign with in the off-season of 2013. It was also Shane Mumford’s first match for GWS after crossing over from Sydney. The Swans led from the outset in trying conditions, with the game delayed by 20 minutes in the first half due to a lightning storm. The Giants managed to stay in the contest, trailing by ten points late in the third quarter. From there, little brother stood up and delivered a dominant final quarter, slamming on six goals to nil to run out 32-point winners. The story lines coming into the game heavily favoured the Giants in the aftermath as well, with Franklin held to just seven touches and one goal by co-captain Phil Davis, who would be admitted to hospital after suffering a kidney injury early in the game. Mumford was awarded the three Brownlow Medal votes for his performance in the ruck.

Qualifying final, 2016 – Greater Western Sydney 12.19.91 defeated Sydney Swans 7.13.55 (ANZ Stadium)
While the Giants’ first win over Sydney in 2014 proved to be a landmark moment in the club’s history, they would go on to win just five more games that season. They would again miss the finals, albeit only narrowly, in 2015, before breaking through to qualify for September action for the first time in 2016. Fittingly, GWS were scheduled to take on the Swans in their inaugural final, with the game taking place at ANZ Stadium to allow for a bumper crowd of over 60,000 – the biggest ever for a Sydney Derby. In a tough and bruising encounter, the Giants led by two points at halftime, extending that to 21 at three-quarter time. While many expected the ladder-leading Swans to respond in the final term, it was instead GWS who put their foot on the neck of their opponents, running away with a six-goal victory to advance to a home preliminary final.

Preliminary final, 2019 – Greater Western Sydney 8.8.56 defeated Collingwood 7.10.52 (MCG)
After advancing to the preliminary final weekend from the bottom half of the top eight, the Giants were rank outsiders when they came up against a well-rested Collingwood in front of a parochial home crowd at the MCG. GWS were without midfield guns Toby Greene, who was controversially suspended for making unreasonable contact to the eye region of Brisbane’s Lachie Neale a week earlier, and Lachie Whitfield, who was suffering from appendicitis, while Stephen Coniglio was already missing due to a knee injury from earlier in the season. To add to that, co-captain Davis injured his calf early in the match, but GWS trailed by just three points in a low-scoring slog at halftime. In a telling 40-minute period from the start of the third quarter to early in the last, the Giants piled on six consecutive goals to lead the Magpies by 33 points. Collingwood would finish with a flurry, ending the game with the final nine scoring shots of the game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Giants, who advanced to their first ever grand final.

Worst losses

Round 15, 2012 – Hawthorn 28.25.193 defeated Greater Western Sydney 4.7.31 (MCG)
The Giants suffered the lion’s share of big defeats in the early years of their existence, but their match-up with Hawthorn, the eventual minor premiers from 2012, was like men against boys. The Hawks had an incredible 53 scoring shots, falling just short of notching up the double century. It is the biggest score recorded against GWS to this date, while 162 points is the club’s biggest ever defeat. It was one of 12 triple-figure defeats suffered by Greater Western Sydney in their first three years.

Round 7, 2018 – Geelong 14.9.93 defeated Greater Western Sydney 4.8.32 (GMHBA Stadium)
Sitting third on the ladder heading into their Friday night trip down to the cattery, the Giants could not handle the unique dimensions of Kardinia Park, managing a paltry four goals for the evening in a 61-point loss. In the absence of the injured Jeremy Cameron, the Giants managed just two marks inside 50 for the whole night, while their disposal efficiency by foot dropped to as low as 47 per cent late in the game (the seventh-lowest ranking in history, according to Champion Data).

Grand final, 2019 – Richmond 17.12.114 defeated Greater Western Sydney 3.7.25 (MCG)
On the grandest stage of all, Greater Western Sydney were hapless to stop a rampaging Richmond side romp to their second flag in three years. After booting the opening goal of the game through Cameron, GWS would manage just two more for the remainder of the game, registering their lowest ever score in club history, while it was the equal-lowest score in a grand final since Collingwood in 1927.

Moments that shaped the club

Entering the AFL
For so long, the western suburbs of Sydney were seen as a potential gold mine by the AFL as they looked to expand into non-traditional areas of Australian Rules footy. In the late 1990s, North Melbourne were seen as a potential option to relocate, similar to how South Melbourne became the Sydney Swans. The Kangaroos spent four seasons playing home games at the SCG, before Manuka Oval in Canberra became their home away from home between 2002 and 2006. However, after the Roos rejected the AFL’s plans to shift them to the Gold Coast, the AFL made the decision to introduce two new clubs into the competition, expanding it from 16 teams to 18. GWS were one of those teams, becoming the second side from New South Wales to join the AFL.

The GWS revolving door
While no club has had the bevy of draft picks like the Giants since their introduction to the league in 2012, this has resulted in the club losing many young talent to opposition clubs over the years. Adam Treloar, Taylor Adams, Devon Smith, Dylan Shiel and Will Hoskin-Elliott – five extremely talented youngsters when they joined the Giants in 2011 – have become genuine stars at their new clubs, while the likes of Jack Steele, Josh Bruce, Cam McCarthy, Rory Lobb and Jonathon Patton all started at the Giants before seeking opportunities elsewhere. Keeping young talent at the club has been a recent challenge for GWS, with the likes of Aiden Bonar, Will Setterfield and Matt Kennedy all departing after just two years. Tom Boyd, the Giants’ number one draft pick from 2013, was perhaps the most high-profile youngster to leave, joining the Western Bulldogs after their captain Ryan Griffen requested a trade to GWS. The likes of Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio have bucked the trend in recent times, with Kelly signing a complicated contract that could see him tied to the Giants until 2029, while Coniglio resisted temptation from Carlton and Hawthorn to re-sign on a multi-million-dollar deal over seven years.

Lance Franklin shunning the club
With Greater Western Sydney struggling for relevance after a one-win season in 2013, a bold plan was hatched to secure the services of out-of-contract superstar Lance Franklin. The two-time Coleman Medallist, who became a free agent at the end of his four-year deal with the Hawks, was heavily linked with a move to the Giants following Hawthorn’s premiership triumph that year. However, in the days following the Hawks’ grand final victory over Fremantle, GWS shocked the footballing public when they withdrew their multi-million-dollar offer, acting on advice from Franklin’s manager that Buddy was set to sign a similar deal with the Sydney Swans. The Franklin saga ignited the rivalry between the Giants and the Swans, with the two clubs meeting in the opening round of 2014. Franklin failed to have an impact as GWS notched their first ever victory against their bigger brother.

Best 22 of the decade

Back pocket – Heath Shaw
After coming to the end of his tenure at Collingwood, Shaw was traded to the Giants in a straight swap for young midfielder Taylor Adams at the end of 2013. The move paid enormous dividends for GWS, with Shaw quickly entrenching himself as a key member of the back half. He won the Greater Western Sydney best-and-fairest award in 2015, finishing in the top ten on four other occasions. Despite joining the club two years after they came into the league, Shaw has played 136 games in the Giants’ colours, with only five names ahead of him for matches played at the club.

Fullback – Phil Davis
The first player from an opposition club to sign with Greater Western Sydney, Davis was named the inaugural co-captain of the Giants at the age of 21 and with only 18 games to his name when they entered the league. The decision was quickly justified, with Davis becoming the defensive lynch pin of the side. After some injury troubles over the space of three years, Davis has rarely missed a match, placing in the top ten of the Kevin Sheedy Medal on five occasions. He relinquished the captaincy at the end of 2019 after eight seasons in charge.

Back pocket – Adam Kennedy
The courageous small defender was a member of the Giants’ inaugural side and has since been a hugely popular member of the GWS outfit. After suffering a torn ACL in 2017, which saw him play just 16 games in the space of two seasons, he returned to feature prominently in 2019, playing in the Giants’ first ever grand final.

Half back – Zac Williams
The damaging rebounder was the first member of the GWS academy to join the list, becoming a rookie at the end of 2012. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2016, finishing in the top ten of the best-and-fairest. He would achieve that feat again a year later, before a ruptured Achilles tendon saw him miss the entire 2018 home-and-away season. Such is his importance to the side, Williams was rushed back for that year’s finals campaign, before enjoying a career-best year last season in which he played his 100th senior game.

Centre halfback – Nick Haynes
Taken at pick seven in the Giants’ first national draft, Haynes has developed from a rangy forward to a rock-solid defender ranked among the most underrated players in the league. Haynes finished in the top ten of the Kevin Sheedy Medal for the first time in 2015, before claiming back-to-back top-five finishes in the past two seasons.

Halfback – Lachie Whitfield
The Giants took Whitfield with the first pick in the 2012 national draft, and it has proven to be a very astute selection. The silky midfielder is one of the Giants’ most lethal users of the ball, however his career was thrown into disrepute when he was suspended for six months at the end of 2016 for attempting to evade a drug test after taking illicit substances. He responded in superb fashion, notching three consecutive top-ten placings in the best-and-fairest award, taking the medal home after a career-best year in 2018, which saw him named in the All Australian team for the first time.

Wing – Josh Kelly
A number two pick from the 2013 national draft, Kelly showed great promise in his early seasons at the Giants, but it wasn’t until 2016 that the midfielder became a genuine star of the competition. That year, he placed fourth in the Kevin Sheedy Medal before taking out the award a year later in a career-best campaign that saw him also finish fifth in the Brownlow Medal. He was also named in the All Australian side for the first time in 2017, recommitting to the Giants despite a multi-million-dollar contract on the table from North Melbourne. Has struggled with injury in the past couple of seasons, but still remains a highly damaging player whenever he takes to the field.

Centre – Callan Ward
Like Davis, Ward was named as the inaugural co-captain of the Giants at the tender age of 21 following his decision to leave the Western Bulldogs after 60 games. The tough inside midfielder has been arguably Greater Western Sydney’s most storied player, kicking the first ever goal for the Giants and winning the club’s first best-and-fairest award, finishing in the top three of the count on five other occasions. Unfortunately, Ward was not a member of the Giants’ grand final side after tearing his ACL earlier in the year. At the end of 2019, Ward, along with Davis, relinquished the captaincy of the club.

Wing – Tom Scully
Greater Western Sydney’s boom recruit when they entered the league, Scully was signed to the Giants on a six-year deal worth $6 million after his second season with Melbourne. The former number one draft pick was a dependable midfielder for the Giants in their early years, finishing in the top five of the best-and-fairest in 2012 and 2013. However, it wasn’t until 2016 that Scully broke out to become a highly damaging player, finishing runner-up in the Kevin Sheedy Medal before another strong season a year later. Scully’s season came to an abrupt end early in 2018 when he suffered a gruesome broken ankle, which cast doubt on whether the running machine would ever be able to play again. Later that year, he was traded to Hawthorn.

Half forward – Toby Greene
Perhaps the most polarising player to ever pull on the Giants’ jumper, Greene has pretty much carried controversy with him throughout his entire career. Had a brilliant debut season going head-to-head with some of the league’s best midfielders, finishing second in the Kevin Sheedy Medal. He would claim the award in 2016 after a stunning campaign in which he kicked 44 goals, also making the All Australian side for the first time. He would better his total by one goal the following year, a season in which he was cited by the match review officer on five different occasions. The most serious charge occurred in a match against the Western Bulldogs, where Greene was fined $1500 for attacking a marking contest with his boot up, resulting in him kicking the face of his opponent. The AFL then introduced a rule prohibiting players leading with their feet, dubbed the studs-up rule. His 2019 finals series was littered with on-field controversy, escaping with a $7500 fine at the tribunal when he pleaded guilty to serious misconduct on Marcus Bontempelli in the elimination final. Only a week later, Greene was back at the tribunal, this time for making unnecessary or unreasonable contact to the face of Lachie Neale. This time, he was banned for one week, but he would return to feature in Greater Western Sydney’s first grand final. Greene has kicked the second-most amount of goals by any Giant with a total of 170.

Centre half forward – Jeremy Cameron
The skinny kid from Victoria who was pre-listed by the Giants before their entry into the AFL showed signs of his immense talent early in his career, kicking bags of four and five inside his first four matches. In just his second year, Cameron booted 62 majors, earning All Australian honours as a 20-year-old while being named the AFL Coaches Association’s best young player in addition to winning his first Kevin Sheedy Medal. He kicked 63 majors in the 2015 season and Cameron came third in the Coleman Medal for a second time, before becoming the first Giant to take the honour in 2019 with a monster tally of 76 goals. Incredibly, Cameron has led the GWS goal-kicking every year between 2012 and 2019, sharing it with Toby Greene and Jonathon Patton in 2017.

Half forward – Devon Smith
One of the original Giants taken with their bevy of early draft picks, Smith was a reliable contributor in his time at the club. Finished inside the top ten of the club best-and-fairest award in his debut season, before being runner-up alongside Callan Ward in 2014. Smith was handy in front of goal, kicking 100 majors from 109 games over six years. At the end of 2017, Smith requested a trade back to Victoria, landing at Essendon.

Forward pocket – Steve Johnson
The mercurial Johnson joined the Giants via a trade at the end of 2015, enjoying a superb debut season in which he bagged a total of 43 goals. He was criticised for missing Greater Western Sydney’s preliminary final in 2016 after being suspended a fortnight earlier in their win over Sydney. He went around for another year in 2017, however his output declined dramatically. He managed to kick six goals in the Giants’ semi-final win over West Coast, but couldn’t impact the scoreboard a week later in their preliminary final clash with Richmond. Johnson’s glittering career came to an end after a 40-game, 64-goal cameo at the Giants.

Full forward – Jonathon Patton
The first player Greater Western Sydney drafted onto their list, Patton was recruited with the hope of becoming the Giants’ long-time full forward. He was sent to Stockholm in Sweden before making his debut for treatment on a knee injury, eventually making his debut halfway through the year. Patton started his second year in the best 22, but suffered an unfortunate tear to his ACL in Round 3, seeing him miss the remainder of the season. He returned to enjoy a strong 2014 season, but once again injured the same knee, requiring a further 12 months on the sidelines. He made his return late in 2015, enjoying a strong pre-season before a breakout year in 2016, kicking 38 majors, including four in their preliminary final loss to the Western Bulldogs. He would win his first club goal-kicking award a year later with a total of 45 majors, but struggled for form in the first half of 2018 before suffering another ACL rupture. While fit for the second half of the 2019 season, Patton chose not to play, opting to stay fit and healthy after Hawthorn showed signs of recruiting him. He was traded to the Hawks at the end of the season following 89 games and 130 goals.

Forward pocket – Harry Himmelberg
Joining Greater Western Sydney via the draft at the end of 2015, Himmelberg debuted late in 2016, playing four consecutive games. He would find a spot in the best 22 for the Giants’ finals campaign in 2017, surprising in the preliminary final against Richmond with a haul of four goals. He booted 29 majors in a breakout campaign in 2018, before having an even better year last season, booting 38 majors.

Ruckman – Shane Mumford
The Giants’ failed attempt to lure Hawthorn superstar Lance Franklin at the end of 2013 had a silver lining, with Swans’ premiership ruckman Shane Mumford squeezed out, moving to GWS in a trade. He had an immediate impact, winning the club best-and-fairest in his first year despite missing five games. An ankle injury the following year would see him miss half the season, returning to feature prominently in Greater Western Sydney’s preliminary final campaigns in 2016 and 2017. He would then retire, spending 2018 as the club’s ruck coach before making a shock comeback to senior footy, returning to the GWS playing list and featuring in the club’s first grand final appearance.

Ruck rover – Dylan Shiel
One of a number of Giants who joined the club as an underage recruit, Shiel developed into a vital cog in a talented midfield. He finished in the top ten of the Kevin Sheedy Medal in six consecutive years, starring in a career-best season in 2017 when he was named in the All Australian side. After 135 games and 64 goals with GWS over seven seasons, Shiel requested a trade back to Victoria at the end of 2018, where he continued his career with Essendon.

Rover – Stephen Coniglio
Taken with their second selection at their first sitting at the draft table, Coniglio was on Greater Western Sydney’s radar during his teenage years after making his debut for Swan Districts in the WAFL as a 16-year-old. The impressive midfielder has battled injury at times throughout his career, but has remained one of their most consistent and reliable midfielders when on the park. Coniglio has finished in the top five of the club best-and-fairest on three occasions, and would’ve been a smoky for the Brownlow Medal if not for a knee injury that wiped out the remainder of his year in Round 17 last year. As a result, Coniglio missed the Giants’ first ever grand final. After qualifying as a free agent at the end of 2019, Coniglio turned his back on monster offers from opposition clubs such as Hawthorn, West Coast and Carlton, re-signing with the Giants for seven years. He was then named as the new captain of GWS, taking over from Phil Davis and Callan Ward.

Sports opinion delivered daily 

   

Interchange – Tim Taranto
Another number two selection from the national draft, this time from 2016, Taranto hasn’t taken long to establish himself as a star of the game competition-wide. The tough-at-it midfielder with excellent skills steadily built his game over his first two years before enjoying a breakout campaign in 2019, culminating in his first Kevin Sheedy Medal.

Interchange – Adam Treloar
Similar to Shiel and Cameron, Treloar joined GWS a year before the club entered the AFL, showing his immense talent from the very start of his career. Treloar would post four consecutive top-ten finishes in the club best-and-fairest, finishing runner-up in 2015. At the end of that season, Treloar would seek a move to Victoria, with Collingwood securing his services following 79 games and 48 goals in the orange and charcoal.

Interchange – Adam Tomlinson
The versatile tall was taken with the seventh selection in the 2011 draft, playing a handful of games in his debut season before developing into a member of the best 22. Capable of playing all over the ground, Tomlinson made a name for himself as a wingman at the Giants, finishing in the top ten of the Kevin Sheedy Medal in 2018. After featuring in the 2019 grand final, Tomlinson moved to Melbourne as a free agent after 140 games and 35 goals.

Interchange – Jacob Hopper
Hopper became a member of the GWS academy at the age of 13, meaning the Giants had priority access to recruiting him once he reached a draft age. When Gold Coast came knocking with a bid in the opening round of the 2015 national draft, the Giants quickly answered, snapping up the ball magnet with pick seven. Hopper gave the Suns a taste of what they missed out on in his debut match, amassing 32 disposals and nine clearances. In 2018, Hopper became a key member of the GWS midfield, placing in the top ten of the Kevin Sheedy Medal for the first time, before claiming a podium finish in the club’s grand final year last season.

Are the Giants placed better or worse going into the new decade compared to ten years ago?
Immeasurably better, considering the Giants are now an established team in the AFL with four consecutive September campaigns behind them, including a grand final. While the 89-point loss to Richmond last season will sting for many years, the club culture built by the likes of Phil Davis, Stephen Coniglio, Callan Ward and Josh Kelly will hold the Giants in good stead, and it won’t be long until a premiership cup heads to the western suburbs of Sydney.