The Greater Western Sydney Giants, also known as the GWS Giants, are an Australian rules football club based in the Greater Western Sydney region of New South Wales. The club joined the Australian Football League (AFL) as an expansion club, playing their first match during the first round of the 2012 AFL season.
In the AFL draft, clubs receive picks based on the position in which they finish on the ladder during the season. The draft is held each year at the end of November, to allow the draftees to finish their school examinations before being drafted. [1]
The Greater Western Sydney Giants were to join the AFL in 2012, and were provided with several draft concessions, including additional draft selections, early access to recruit 17-year-old players, and access to uncontracted and previously listed players in this offseason. These concessions were similar to those provided to the Gold Coast Football Club, which entered the league in the previous season.
Greater Western Sydney was permitted to recruit the following players directly, without the need for any draft:
Then, in the drafts, Greater Western Sydney had the following selections:
Additionally, at the end of 2011, Greater Western Sydney had the ability to trade the only four selections in a once-off "mini-draft", which could be used to recruit 17-year-old players (born between 1 January – 30 April 1994). Greater Western Sydney could only use these draft picks as trade currency; the club was not permitted to use the picks for its own list development. Players recruited and traded in this manner were not eligible to play senior AFL football in 2012, and would continue to undergo junior development. This specific concession was unique to Greater Western Sydney; Gold Coast did not have the same concession the previous year.
Greater Western Sydney began with an expanded list size of up to fifty senior players and nine rookies, to be gradually reduced to a standard list size of thirty-eight senior players and nine rookies by 2019. [2]
During the 2011 AFL season there was speculation about several players who would be uncontracted at the end of the season, including Tom Scully, Rhys Palmer, Callan Ward and Taylor Walker. [3] In August 2011, Phil Davis from Adelaide was the first player to announce a move to Greater Western Sydney as an uncontracted player signing. [4] After the season had ended, Palmer, Scully and Ward also announced moves to the Giants. As compensation, Scully was rated as a top-level player, resulting in Melbourne receiving both a first-round and a mid-first round draft pick as compensation. Davis and Ward were rated as second-level, earning Adelaide and Western Bulldogs a first round compensation selection, and Palmer was rated a third-level player, giving Fremantle an end of first round selection. [5]
| ^ | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Australian Football Hall of Fame |
| * | Denotes player who has been a premiership player and been selected for at least one All-Australian team |
| + | Denotes player who has been a premiership player at least once |
| x | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Australian team |
| # | Denotes player who has never played in a VFL/AFL home and away season or finals game |
| ~ | Denotes player who has been selected as Rising Star |
| ^ | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Australian Football Hall of Fame |
| * | Denotes player who has been a premiership player and been selected for at least one All-Australian team |
| + | Denotes player who has been a premiership player at least once |
| x | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Australian team |
| # | Denotes player who has never played in a VFL/AFL home and away season or finals game |
| ~ | Denotes player who has been selected as Rising Star |
| ^ | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Australian Football Hall of Fame |
| * | Denotes player who has been a premiership player and been selected for at least one All-Australian team |
| + | Denotes player who has been a premiership player at least once |
| x | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Australian team |
| # | Denotes player who has never played in a VFL/AFL home and away season or finals game |
| ~ | Denotes player who has been selected as Rising Star |
During the trade period, clubs can nominate category B rookies to join their club.
| Year | Player | Origin | Note | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Jake Stein | Athletics | 3-year non-registered player (athletics) | [9] |
| 2017 | Zach Sproule | Murray Bushrangers | NSW zone selection | [10] |
| 2018 | Jack Buckley | UWS Giants | NSW zone selection | [11] |
| 2019 | Callum Brown | Derry GAA | International selection (Ireland) | [12] |
| 2021 | Will Shaw | Bendigo Pioneers | Academy selection | [13] |
| 2023 | Nicholas Madden | AFL GWS (VFL) | Academy selection | [14] |
| 2023 | Jason Gillbee | Bendigo Pioneers | Academy selection | |
| 2024 | Nathan Wardius | HFNL | Academy selection | |
| 2025 | Josaia Delana | East Coast Eagles | Academy selection | [15] |
| 2026 | Riley Hamilton | Ainslie Football Club | Academy selection | [16] |
| ^ | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Australian Football Hall of Fame |
| * | Denotes player who has been a premiership player and been selected for at least one All-Australian team |
| + | Denotes player who has been a premiership player at least once |
| x | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Australian team |
| # | Denotes player who has never played in a VFL/AFL home and away season or finals game |
| ~ | Denotes player who has been selected as Rising Star |
The GIANTS have listed Nick Madden as a rookie.
The GIANTS have selected exciting GIANTS Academy product Riley Hamilton.