List Mgmt. 2023 GWS Giants List Management - Academy, Free Agent, Trade, Draft

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Giant Strides

Giant Strides

Moderator
GWS Giants Team Board Tipping
Nov 23, 2015
13,163
20,416
AFL Club
GWS
Trade Period, October 6–18
  • Restricted & Unrestricted Free Agency Period: Friday, October 6, 9am – Friday October 13, 5pm (bid matching ends Monday October 16, 5pm)
  • Trade Period (1), picks & players: Monday, October 9, 9am – Wednesday October 18, 7.30pm
Quiet Period, October 19–November 20
  • Trade Period (2), picks only: Monday, October 23, 9am – Friday November 10, 5pm
  • List Lodgement 1*: Tuesday, October 31, 2pm
  • Delisted Free Agency Period (1): Wednesday, November 1, 9am – Wednesday November 8, 5pm
  • Delisted Free Agency Period (2): Friday, November 10, 9am–5pm
  • List Lodgement 2*: Tuesday, November 14, 2pm


Here's the list of GWS players who are out of contract in 2023 (I'll progressively cross them out as they re-sign):
  • Lachie ASH
  • Callan WARD (Free Agent)
  • Brayden PREUSS
  • Tom GREEN
  • Finn CALLAGHAN
  • Lachlan KEEFFE (Free Agent)
  • Jake RICCARDI
  • Harry HIMMELBERG (Free Agent)
  • Cam FLEETON - delisted (25/9/23)
  • Matt FLYNN (Free Agent) - signed by West Coast as an Unrestricted Free Agent
  • Xavier O'HALLORAN
  • Jack BUCKLEY
  • Callum BROWN
Rookie lists:
  • Phil DAVIS (Free Agent) - retiring at end of 2023 season
  • Jacob WEHR (Free agent)
  • Dan LLOYD (Free Agent) - retiring at end of 2023 season
  • Cooper HAMILTON
  • Wade DERKSEN
  • Nick MADDEN (Cat B) - assumed re-signed due to 2 sources of info
  • Jason GILBEE (Cat B) - delisted (25/9/23)
Current list sizes (for when we get to list/draft/trade speculation):
  • main list = 36 minus 3 (Fleeton, Flynn + Kennedy delisted with a view to be re-selected in the rookie draft)
  • rookie A = 6 minus 2 (Davis, Lloyd)
  • rookie B = 2 minus 1 (Gilbee)
  • total = 44 minus 5
This is the future pick spreadsheet that comes into play only at trade time, as future picks are used in end of season (2023) trading:


Here's the 2023 AFL Academy Squad, so these (roughly) represent the best players for next year as they stand now:

2023 NAB AFL ACADEMY​

NAMESURNAMESTATESTATE LEAGUE CLUBCOMMUNITY CLUB
LachlanCaborNSW/ACTSydney Swans AcademyShellharbour
NateCaddyVIC MNorthern KnightsYarrambat
JackCallinanTASTasmania DevilsClarence
CaidenClearyNSW/ACTSydney Swans AcademySydney University
DanielCurtinWAClaremontWest Coast
JackDeleanSASouth AdelaideReynella
ZaneDuursmaVIC CGippsland PowerFoster
MitchellEdwardsWAPeel ThunderSouth Mandurah
WilliamGreenVIC MNorthern KnightsNorthcote
RileyHardemanWASwan DistrictsCaversham
WilliamLorenzVIC MOakleigh ChargersBoroondara Hawks
KaneMcAuliffeSANorth AdelaideCentral Augusta
ColbyMcKercherTASTasmania DevilsLaunceston
AshtonMoirSAGlenelgPlympton
ConnorO'SullivanNSW/ACTMurray BushrangersAlbury
WilliamPattonSAWest AdelaideMitcham
NathanPhilactidesVIC MOakleigh ChargersBlackburn
EthanReadQLDGold Coast Suns AcademyPalm Beach Currumbin
ArcherReidVIC CGippsland PowerInverloch-Kongwak
HarleyReidVIC CBendigo PioneersTongala
ArchieRobertsVIC MSandringham DragonsHampton Rovers
JakeRogersQLDGold Coast Suns AcademyBroadbeach
RyleySandersTASSandringham DragonsNorth Launceston
CooperSimpsonVIC CDandenong StingraysMount Martha
GeorgeStevensVIC CGWV RebelsSouth Warrnambool
KoltynTholstrupWASubiacoNewtown-Condingup
OrlandoTurnerNTWest AdelaideSouth Alice Springs
JedWalterQLDGold Coast Suns AcademyPalm Beach Currumbin
NickWatsonVIC MEastern RangesEast Ringwood
DarcyWilsonVIC CMurray BushrangersWangaratta Rovers

Happy speculating for 2023!

EDIT: 11/12/22 - Added Free Agent status to OOC player list
EDIT: 24/2/23 - Crossed out Tom Green from OOC player list! (Woo Hoo!!) & Added 2023 Coates Talent League Fixture Link
EDIT: 27/2/23 - Crossed out Finn Callaghan from OOC player list! (Woo Hoo Hoo!!!)
EDIT: 27/4/23 - Crossed out Jacob Wehr from OOC player list
EDIT: 10/5/23 - Crossed out Jack Buckley from OOC player list :thumbsu:
EDIT: 9/7/23 - Crossed out Callum Brown from OOC player list
EDIT: 18/7/23 - Crossed out Lachie Ash from OOC player list
EDIT: 20/7/23 - Crossed out Xavier O'Halloran from OOC player list
EDIT: 3/8/23 - Crossed out Harry Himmelberg from OOC player list
EDIT: 9/8/23 - Crossed out Wade Derksen from OOC player list
EDIT: 17/8/23 - Noted Dan Lloyd retiring at end of season
EDIT: 19/8/23 - Crossed out Jake Riccardi from OOC player list
EDIT: 28/8/23 - Noted Phil Davis retiring at end of season
EDIT: 25/9/23 - Noted Cam Fleeton & Jason Gilbee delisted
EDIT: 4/10/23 - Noted Flynn, Preuss & Keeffe situations
EDIT: 9/10/23 - Updated Flynn to WCE, removed Preuss from OOC player list
EDIT: 12/10/23 - Updated Madden with 2 sources of information
EDIT: 19/10/23 - Updated Keeffe & Hamilton re-signed
EDIT: 31/10/23 - adjusted main list numbers with Adam Kennedy delisting (with a view to be re-selected in rookie draft)
 
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Andre the Giant said:
You’re right, the Swans, regardless of whether we loathe them have built an excellent system. Rather than whinging we need to put time and resources into developing that very prolific area. It’s difficult but if we get it right there is such a pool of talent. The AFL needs to lead this.
Click to expand...
I'd have to say ... if the argument is that GWS gets the benefit of such players, and a discount in draft price, then surely we have to lead it.

I'd also say that it's not like Giants academy is absent from the western parts of Sydney. The academy is in place there, and they have been for years. It's just that very few have come through with the talent to warrant drafting. Shipley looked promising, but ultimately didn't make it. Briggs and Peatling the current guys, but neither is a star, just foot soldiers (which is still OK - in fact, that helps us because they might be happier to stick around filling those lower place tiers in the salary structure). I do agree that we want to be continually churning out top graders. Swans have done that with Heeney, Mills & Gulden, but that's not every year (or even every other year). I don't know why they've got a few and we've had not in that top level. Is it more private schools with AFL programs (which is what's behind the Victorian approach, to be honest)?
 
Giant Strides said:
I'd have to say ... if the argument is that GWS gets the benefit of such players, and a discount in draft price, then surely we have to lead it.

I'd also say that it's not like Giants academy is absent from the western parts of Sydney. The academy is in place there, and they have been for years. It's just that very few have come through with the talent to warrant drafting. Shipley looked promising, but ultimately didn't make it. Briggs and Peatling the current guys, but neither is a star, just foot soldiers (which is still OK - in fact, that helps us because they might be happier to stick around filling those lower place tiers in the salary structure). I do agree that we want to be continually churning out top graders. Swans have done that with Heeney, Mills & Gulden, but that's not every year (or even every other year). I don't know why they've got a few and we've had not in that top level. Is it more private schools with AFL programs (which is what's behind the Victorian approach, to be honest)?
Click to expand...
Tom Green?
 

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from my experience, The AFL and/or Giants do far more to attract new players to the game than the other sports (I've actually worked in development for the Rugby codes and was envious of there efforts). League, Soccer and Netball have really strong existing player bases and there development is essentially picking rep teams and playing a rep comp with associated coaching. There is little if any focus on attracting players. The AFL is a level behind that is purely focused on increasing player participation. The academies they put together have more put into them than the other sports, there is just heaps less kids to pick from, so have no where near the player talent. Its a numbers game.
It will take time.
 
Whilst this was written in the aftermath of our hawthorn victory, the sentiments of our coach is interesting. Seems to indicate that we will want to re-sign him.

*GWS coach Adam Kingsley said Himmelberg’s heroics at either end of the ground reflected the “luxury” the Giants had with choosing his position.

The 195cm utility haso only kicked seven goals for the season, but Kingsley said he was competing strongly in the air along with Jesse Hogan.

“He’s a really important cog to what we want to build … again whether that’s forward or back, we have that luxury I suppose you call it with his capacity to play at both ends,” Kingsley said.

“Depending upon the pieces that we can add to it, that will probably dictate that more.

“I’m really pleased by how he’s going, he’s been a little quite in some of the games in early parts, but he’s having moments, and I know he just competes as well, that’s the most important thing in a key forward.”*

 
MelbourneGWS said:
Whilst this was written in the aftermath of our hawthorn victory, the sentiments of our coach is interesting. Seems to indicate that we will want to re-sign him.

*GWS coach Adam Kingsley said Himmelberg’s heroics at either end of the ground reflected the “luxury” the Giants had with choosing his position.

The 195cm utility haso only kicked seven goals for the season, but Kingsley said he was competing strongly in the air along with Jesse Hogan.

“He’s a really important cog to what we want to build … again whether that’s forward or back, we have that luxury I suppose you call it with his capacity to play at both ends,” Kingsley said.

“Depending upon the pieces that we can add to it, that will probably dictate that more.

“I’m really pleased by how he’s going, he’s been a little quite in some of the games in early parts, but he’s having moments, and I know he just competes as well, that’s the most important thing in a key forward.”*

Click to expand...
And he is another New South Welshman likely to leave for an interstate side next year. We have a poor record at keeping our NSW origin players. Kennedy, Hopper, Setterfield, Williams to name a few.
 
The academy should be limited to Western Sydney (inner west as well?) and possibly Canberra

Don't see how a kid from the Murray is any less of a flight risk then any other country Victorian
 
bossman111 said:
Don't see how a kid from the Murray is any less of a flight risk then any other country Victorian
Click to expand...
No worries there, we can't get anyone from the Murray that would be taken in the National Draft.
 
dlanod said:
No worries there, we can't get anyone from the Murray that would be taken in the National Draft.
Click to expand...
Apologies I should be saying our Southern NSW zone. But point still stands

If aim of the Academy was to grow the game then after 11 years we have Shipley (delisted), Briggs and Peatling from WS to show for it, and as far as I can tell noting much else to follow. You can't say its working.
 
bossman111 said:
Apologies I should be saying our Southern NSW zone. But point still stands

If aim of the Academy was to grow the game then after 11 years we have Shipley (delisted), Briggs and Peatling from WS to show for it, and as far as I can tell noting much else to follow. You can't say its working.
Click to expand...
The western sydney elite athletes are seemingly not as attracted to afl, as they are generally very rugby league focused, maybe soccer.
I think the sport needs to be more popular for the better athletes to be attracted to it, not avoid it.
Does anybody know what the number of kids playing afl in our zones compared to swans?
I think they would have more, but who knows.
 
bossman111 said:
Apologies I should be saying our Southern NSW zone. But point still stands

If aim of the Academy was to grow the game then after 11 years we have Shipley (delisted), Briggs and Peatling from WS to show for it, and as far as I can tell noting much else to follow. You can't say its working.
Click to expand...
Since the advent of the academies there have been far more players from the Riverina and a few other aussie rules or semi Aussie rules areas than pre the giants.
Laughably the some Vic clubs (I think it was Eddie, but maybe not) were complaining that there were more players coming from this area and they are getting too big an advantage and they didnt expect such the uptick in players coming from the area, kindng of missing the point that was the whole aim of the academies in the first place.

I think in Western Sydney was starting from scratch, at this stage it is just about getting people playing, and they have done a reasonable job of that. 11 years ago there was virtually no league. So if you look at it, the kids that started at 6 or 7 and have played there whole sporting life from the beginning of our existence are only just 18 now. It takes ages to build from scratch. But the player numbers have increased a fair whack. But it'll take a whole generation to start getting meaningful player supply from Western Sydney, that would be expected.

Melbourne Storm is has only produced 10 or 12 Melbourne produced players since inception (and some of them are questionable)
 
Article in one of our local Canberra magazine about Himmelberg. Quotes Kingsley as stating “It’s an enormous priority for us. He’s clearly a really important player for us and will be for a long period of time,” Kingsley told reporters. “I’m not aware of the update with that, I presume we’re still in discussions with him but I’m fully confident that Harry will be a Giant from next year and beyond.

canberraweekly.com.au

Giants confident swingman Harry Himmelberg will re-sign | Canberra Daily

GWS restricted free agent Harry Himmelberg is expected to attract interest from other AFL clubs but coach Adam Kingsley is confident he will remain a Giant.
canberraweekly.com.au canberraweekly.com.au
 

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At least stylistically I think Cadman and Gruzewski are a good fit, Cadman can be the high roaming forward while Gruzewski can be the contested marking target closer to home. Early days for Gruzewski but the returns look promising already, kicking 4.2 in the wet while marking the ball as well as he did in the wet was super impressive.
 
MelbourneGWS said:
Seems an interesting read on our trades, but unfortunately behind a paywall.

Click to expand...
AFL Trade: Clubs who have won and lost battle in trade merry-go-round with GWS Giants

Wayne Hughes jumped in the car feeling completely convinced about Jack Steele.

The highly-respected and long-time St Kilda recruiter had spent the bulk of 2016 watching Steele closely as part of the talented bunch of GWS midfielders stuck in the twos.

And when the hard-nut tore-up a NEAFL semi-final, gathering 41 disposals Hughes was certain Steele was the man to add some sharpness and quality to the Saints’ engine room.

In the AFL semi-final that night, GWS forward Steve Johnson got reported for his high bump on Josh Kennedy in the win over Sydney Swans.

And Steele, who was being played on a half-forward flank back then in the reserves, was first in-line to take Johnson’s spot.

“That day I went from feeling super excited to really, really flat,” Hughes recalled.

“I said to (list boss) Tony Elshaugh ‘You can forget about Jack Steele now’.

“He was best-on in the NEAFL final because he was just so good, and I thought ‘Yep, he is the man for us’.

“But then that night when the Giants won and ‘Stevie J’ got reported, I thought ‘Oh no, it is all over’.

“If Jack is playing in a preliminary final, or a grand final, it’s hard to leave. Not many players leave your team in that situation.”

But on the training track on Tuesday night, football fate intervened.

Steele fractured a metatarsal in his left foot days out from the AFL preliminary final.

The big opportunity became a big heartbreak.

The tough nut was out. Rhys Palmer was in.

“And it was back on,” Hughes said.

That foot injury not only helped seal Steele’s passage to St Kilda at the end of 2016 for a future second-round draft pick, it landed the club its next captain, and arguably its best player since champion skipper Nick Riewoldt.

And of all the players to depart GWS Giants over the years, two clearly stand out above the rest.

There’s Geelong’s brilliant premiership spearhead Jeremy Cameron, the game’s No. 1 player, and then the wrecking ball at Moorabbin.

After those two, it’s tough to split a bunch of even midfielders in Taylor Adams (Collingwood), Adam Treloar (Western Bulldogs) and Dylan Shiel (Essendon), while Tom Boyd won the Dogs a flag with his finals heroics in September, 2016.

Devon Smith won a best-and-fairest in his first year at Essendon, Josh Bruce has kicked 36-plus goals five times over his career at three clubs, and Will Hoskin-Elliott has been a supreme team man and crucial role player for the Magpies, slotting 160 goals from 186 matches.

Tim Taranto won the GWS best-and-fairest in a grand final campaign in 2019, aged only 21, and Jacob Hopper twice finished top-three in the Giants best and fairest, before joining Taranto at Punt Rd in the same deal last year.

But Hughes said Steele, 27, who will make his return from a broken collarbone against Carlton at a packed-out Marvel Stadium on Sunday, was special.

It was also an excellent find from the man who also unearthed Carlton and Adelaide great Eddie Betts in the 2004 pre-season draft and Ed Curnow deep in the 2008 rookie draft.

“What sets Jack apart is his decision-making. That’s what he does better than most,” Hughes said.

“He looks around at three options, sizes them all up, then bang, he has found the right one before you know it.

“Young players wanting to improve in this area should watch Jack Steele

“He’s been amazing for the club. He went from not getting a game (at GWS in 2016) to fifth in the Brownlow Medal (in 2021) and captain of the club only a few years later.”

Against the Western Bulldogs in Round 2, Steele played on with a broken collarbone, and had 29 disposals and a goal to help continue the Saints’ magnificent rebirth under Ross Lyon.

He’s always been tough, Steele. He was All-Australian for ACT/NSW in the under-18s and had racked up the most tackles by an AFL player over his first 100 AFL matches with 666.

But while it has been the best move of his footy career, Steele broke down in tears in his final season at GWS in 2016 when he basically begged the football club to keep him up north.

He was only 20.

Steele was dropped three times by Round 11 that year, and the writing was on the wall by the time Steele hurt his hand gathering 18 possessions and six tackles in the Round 17 win over Brisbane Lions.

To Steele’s credit, the kid from Canberra never wanted to leave. But the Giants had lots of good young players, and in particular, talented young midfielders.

And at the end of 2016 the GWS revolving door continued when nine Giants were booted out.

“I was gutted. I went into Leon’s office mid-week when things were coming to a close where I needed to make my decision and I remember just crying in front of Leon saying, ‘mate, I want to be here,” Steele told Dylan Buckley’s podcast.

“I knew there were others that were planning on leaving when their current deal was done, they were already talking about getting back to Melbourne and I just never understood why they wouldn’t want to sign someone that wants to be there.

“I was the only person that was from the area at the time, I had family in Sydney and no one else had family in Sydney.

“I just never really wrapped my head around why they wouldn’t want to keep someone that wants to be there

“In hindsight, it was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

While he initially played as a tagger at times under former coach Alan Richardson, Steele was let loose under Brett Ratten, and thrived, winning All-Australian jumpers and best-and-fairest awards in 2020 and 2021.

He has finished top-three in the Saints’ best-and-fairest five years running, underlining his consistency in the clinches.

But Steele remains the only player to win two club champion awards at another club after moving on from GWS.

And what makes Steele’s acquisition even sweeter from a St Kilda perspective was the club picked him up for a bag of peanuts compared to some of the enormous prices paid for some of his former GWS teammates.

The Giants received pick 27 for Steele, and nabbed Brent Daniels, who has been handy despite some injuries as a goal kicking pressure forward.

But GWS extracted full value in exchange for some of their other prized picks, securing 13, 15 and 25 for Cameron, and two first-rounders for Treloar from Collingwood and Shiel from Essendon.

Collingwood won the deal for Adams in a swap for Heath Shaw, and Essendon got two second-rounders back when it handed over pick 11 for forward-midfielder Devon Smith.

Western Bulldogs’ decision to pass up pick six (Caleb Marchbank) and ex-captain Ryan Griffen for Tom Boyd helped win the Dogs a drought-breaking flag.

And Richmond would say the same when it gave up pick six and Brett Deledio in a package for Gold Coast’s Dion Prestia, Cat Josh Caddy and ex-Swan Toby Nankervis in 2016.

But other than Cameron and Steele, the only other traded GWS player to pull on an All-Australian blazer is Shiel.

Treloar has been in the squad of 40 three times, and Smith (2018) and Adams (2020) have both won best and fairests for excellent seasons.

But for all the discussion about the Giants’ high picks over the years, only two – Cameron and Boyd – have tasted the ultimate team success and won a premiership.

Steele wants to change that at a club which has won only won flag in its 150-year history. Under Lyon, the momentum has certainly shifted, significantly.

There is a clear brand, a defensive desire and a consistency in commitment, even though the list clearly still lacks top-end talent.

Its skipper, according to Hughes has always been “an unassuming sort of guy” but has grown into the captaincy role.

Regardless, Steele is all-in on the premiership mission, and there is never a question about his commitment or effort, having signed on until the end of 2027.

“I want to be part of the next premiership for this club,” Steele told the Herald Sun.

“And I’m going to do everything I can and I know my teammates are going to do everything they can.”

The top-10 players who left GWS

1 Jeremy Cameron Gee (1 x Premiership, 1 x Coleman, 3 x AA, 2 x BF)

2 Jack Steele StK (2 x AA, 2 x BF)

3 Taylor Adams Coll (1 x BF)

4 Dylan Shiel Ess (1 x AA)

5 Adam Treloar Coll, WB (3 x AA40)

6 Tim Taranto Rich (1 x BF)

7 Jacob Hopper Rich (2 x BF third-place)

8 Josh Bruce St K, WB (2 x leading goal kicker)

9 Will Hoskin-Elliott Coll (160 goals)

10 Tom Boyd WB (1 x Premiership)

Notable exclusions: Devon Smith, Rory Lobb, Zac Williams, Lachie Plowman, Matt Kennedy, Sam Frost, Will Setterfield
 
Brave New World said:
AFL Trade: Clubs who have won and lost battle in trade merry-go-round with GWS Giants

Wayne Hughes jumped in the car feeling completely convinced about Jack Steele.

The highly-respected and long-time St Kilda recruiter had spent the bulk of 2016 watching Steele closely as part of the talented bunch of GWS midfielders stuck in the twos.

And when the hard-nut tore-up a NEAFL semi-final, gathering 41 disposals Hughes was certain Steele was the man to add some sharpness and quality to the Saints’ engine room.

In the AFL semi-final that night, GWS forward Steve Johnson got reported for his high bump on Josh Kennedy in the win over Sydney Swans.

And Steele, who was being played on a half-forward flank back then in the reserves, was first in-line to take Johnson’s spot.

“That day I went from feeling super excited to really, really flat,” Hughes recalled.

“I said to (list boss) Tony Elshaugh ‘You can forget about Jack Steele now’.

“He was best-on in the NEAFL final because he was just so good, and I thought ‘Yep, he is the man for us’.

“But then that night when the Giants won and ‘Stevie J’ got reported, I thought ‘Oh no, it is all over’.

“If Jack is playing in a preliminary final, or a grand final, it’s hard to leave. Not many players leave your team in that situation.”

But on the training track on Tuesday night, football fate intervened.

Steele fractured a metatarsal in his left foot days out from the AFL preliminary final.

The big opportunity became a big heartbreak.

The tough nut was out. Rhys Palmer was in.

“And it was back on,” Hughes said.

That foot injury not only helped seal Steele’s passage to St Kilda at the end of 2016 for a future second-round draft pick, it landed the club its next captain, and arguably its best player since champion skipper Nick Riewoldt.

And of all the players to depart GWS Giants over the years, two clearly stand out above the rest.

There’s Geelong’s brilliant premiership spearhead Jeremy Cameron, the game’s No. 1 player, and then the wrecking ball at Moorabbin.

After those two, it’s tough to split a bunch of even midfielders in Taylor Adams (Collingwood), Adam Treloar (Western Bulldogs) and Dylan Shiel (Essendon), while Tom Boyd won the Dogs a flag with his finals heroics in September, 2016.

Devon Smith won a best-and-fairest in his first year at Essendon, Josh Bruce has kicked 36-plus goals five times over his career at three clubs, and Will Hoskin-Elliott has been a supreme team man and crucial role player for the Magpies, slotting 160 goals from 186 matches.

Tim Taranto won the GWS best-and-fairest in a grand final campaign in 2019, aged only 21, and Jacob Hopper twice finished top-three in the Giants best and fairest, before joining Taranto at Punt Rd in the same deal last year.

But Hughes said Steele, 27, who will make his return from a broken collarbone against Carlton at a packed-out Marvel Stadium on Sunday, was special.

It was also an excellent find from the man who also unearthed Carlton and Adelaide great Eddie Betts in the 2004 pre-season draft and Ed Curnow deep in the 2008 rookie draft.

“What sets Jack apart is his decision-making. That’s what he does better than most,” Hughes said.

“He looks around at three options, sizes them all up, then bang, he has found the right one before you know it.

“Young players wanting to improve in this area should watch Jack Steele

“He’s been amazing for the club. He went from not getting a game (at GWS in 2016) to fifth in the Brownlow Medal (in 2021) and captain of the club only a few years later.”

Against the Western Bulldogs in Round 2, Steele played on with a broken collarbone, and had 29 disposals and a goal to help continue the Saints’ magnificent rebirth under Ross Lyon.

He’s always been tough, Steele. He was All-Australian for ACT/NSW in the under-18s and had racked up the most tackles by an AFL player over his first 100 AFL matches with 666.

But while it has been the best move of his footy career, Steele broke down in tears in his final season at GWS in 2016 when he basically begged the football club to keep him up north.

He was only 20.

Steele was dropped three times by Round 11 that year, and the writing was on the wall by the time Steele hurt his hand gathering 18 possessions and six tackles in the Round 17 win over Brisbane Lions.

To Steele’s credit, the kid from Canberra never wanted to leave. But the Giants had lots of good young players, and in particular, talented young midfielders.

And at the end of 2016 the GWS revolving door continued when nine Giants were booted out.

“I was gutted. I went into Leon’s office mid-week when things were coming to a close where I needed to make my decision and I remember just crying in front of Leon saying, ‘mate, I want to be here,” Steele told Dylan Buckley’s podcast.

“I knew there were others that were planning on leaving when their current deal was done, they were already talking about getting back to Melbourne and I just never understood why they wouldn’t want to sign someone that wants to be there.

“I was the only person that was from the area at the time, I had family in Sydney and no one else had family in Sydney.

“I just never really wrapped my head around why they wouldn’t want to keep someone that wants to be there

“In hindsight, it was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

While he initially played as a tagger at times under former coach Alan Richardson, Steele was let loose under Brett Ratten, and thrived, winning All-Australian jumpers and best-and-fairest awards in 2020 and 2021.

He has finished top-three in the Saints’ best-and-fairest five years running, underlining his consistency in the clinches.

But Steele remains the only player to win two club champion awards at another club after moving on from GWS.

And what makes Steele’s acquisition even sweeter from a St Kilda perspective was the club picked him up for a bag of peanuts compared to some of the enormous prices paid for some of his former GWS teammates.

The Giants received pick 27 for Steele, and nabbed Brent Daniels, who has been handy despite some injuries as a goal kicking pressure forward.

But GWS extracted full value in exchange for some of their other prized picks, securing 13, 15 and 25 for Cameron, and two first-rounders for Treloar from Collingwood and Shiel from Essendon.

Collingwood won the deal for Adams in a swap for Heath Shaw, and Essendon got two second-rounders back when it handed over pick 11 for forward-midfielder Devon Smith.

Western Bulldogs’ decision to pass up pick six (Caleb Marchbank) and ex-captain Ryan Griffen for Tom Boyd helped win the Dogs a drought-breaking flag.

And Richmond would say the same when it gave up pick six and Brett Deledio in a package for Gold Coast’s Dion Prestia, Cat Josh Caddy and ex-Swan Toby Nankervis in 2016.

But other than Cameron and Steele, the only other traded GWS player to pull on an All-Australian blazer is Shiel.

Treloar has been in the squad of 40 three times, and Smith (2018) and Adams (2020) have both won best and fairests for excellent seasons.

But for all the discussion about the Giants’ high picks over the years, only two – Cameron and Boyd – have tasted the ultimate team success and won a premiership.

Steele wants to change that at a club which has won only won flag in its 150-year history. Under Lyon, the momentum has certainly shifted, significantly.

There is a clear brand, a defensive desire and a consistency in commitment, even though the list clearly still lacks top-end talent.

Its skipper, according to Hughes has always been “an unassuming sort of guy” but has grown into the captaincy role.

Regardless, Steele is all-in on the premiership mission, and there is never a question about his commitment or effort, having signed on until the end of 2027.

“I want to be part of the next premiership for this club,” Steele told the Herald Sun.

“And I’m going to do everything I can and I know my teammates are going to do everything they can.”

The top-10 players who left GWS

1 Jeremy Cameron Gee (1 x Premiership, 1 x Coleman, 3 x AA, 2 x BF)

2 Jack Steele StK (2 x AA, 2 x BF)

3 Taylor Adams Coll (1 x BF)

4 Dylan Shiel Ess (1 x AA)

5 Adam Treloar Coll, WB (3 x AA40)

6 Tim Taranto Rich (1 x BF)

7 Jacob Hopper Rich (2 x BF third-place)

8 Josh Bruce St K, WB (2 x leading goal kicker)

9 Will Hoskin-Elliott Coll (160 goals)

10 Tom Boyd WB (1 x Premiership)

Notable exclusions: Devon Smith, Rory Lobb, Zac Williams, Lachie Plowman, Matt Kennedy, Sam Frost, Will Setterfield
Click to expand...
Thanks - interesting read. How good would we have been if only some of them had decided to stay with us..
 
Brave New World said:
Collingwood won the deal for Adams in a swap for Heath Shaw
Click to expand...
Not convinced about that. On field, sure, but it feels like Shaw did a lot of heavy lifting in terms of making us actually feel like a club instead of a focus group project.
Brave New World said:
The top-10 players who left GWS

1 Jeremy Cameron Gee (1 x Premiership, 1 x Coleman, 3 x AA, 2 x BF)

2 Jack Steele StK (2 x AA, 2 x BF)

3 Taylor Adams Coll (1 x BF)

4 Dylan Shiel Ess (1 x AA)

5 Adam Treloar Coll, WB (3 x AA40)
Click to expand...
It gets pretty sparse after those guys!
Brave New World said:
6 Tim Taranto Rich (1 x BF)

7 Jacob Hopper Rich (2 x BF third-place)

8 Josh Bruce St K, WB (2 x leading goal kicker)

9 Will Hoskin-Elliott Coll (160 goals)

10 Tom Boyd WB (1 x Premiership)

Notable exclusions: Devon Smith, Rory Lobb, Zac Williams, Lachie Plowman, Matt Kennedy, Sam Frost, Will Setterfield
Click to expand...
Two that the receiving club has only gotten five games or less out of, two that would be called "journeymen" at best if not for the purposes of the article, and a player who only played a handful of seasons but just happened to have a highlight on GF day.
 
It seems like alot more have left than did gold coast, yet to date we have been far more successful on field.
I think coming after them has helped us ( primarily as we had much greater access to the players born in 1993 which seems to be a much better year than those born in 1992 which was Gold Coasts main initial year). We also finished below them in 2012,2013 and hence could get Kelly, Whitfield who have been very good players for a long time.
We both have had very good drafts turn onto nothing, I think I 2014 we had 4,6,7, they had in 2016 four top 10 picks( Bowes, Scrimshaw, Brodie ,Ainsworth). That top 10 looks to me like close to the worst ever top 10 class on terms of AGrade talent ( lots of solid players like Taranto, McGrath, Logue, McCluggage though. Gold Coast didn't really ignore any gun players, they just weren't there.)
For 2014, we could have had DeGoey, Peter Wright.
 
dlanod said:
Not convinced about that. On field, sure, but it feels like Shaw did a lot of heavy lifting in terms of making us actually feel like a club instead of a focus group project.

It gets pretty sparse after those guys!

Two that the receiving club has only gotten five games or less out of, two that would be called "journeymen" at best if not for the purposes of the article, and a player who only played a handful of seasons but just happened to have a highlight on GF day.
Click to expand...
I agree re-Shaw.

Both sides got exactly what was needed. We had stacks of players like Adams, in fact he may have been outside our best side, very talented but not yet there, we needed a ready made player to takes us to the next level. They needed a player for a decade. Heath Shaw won a bnf, was a 2 time All Australian and played well over 100 games for us and was still there we were competing to win it. We would be delighted with that trade. So would Collingwood.
 

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