VFL GWS VFL 2023 Thread

[Giant Strides]

The 2022 thread is starting to garner some info for 2023, so I'll move/copy some of the content to a new thread for 2023.

 

[Giant Strides]

The AFL has confirmed the season dates for the 2023 Smithy’s Victorian Football League (VFL) campaign, with a Wildcard Round introduced to determine the last two spots in the finals.

The 2023 Smithy’s VFL season will commence on the weekend of March 25-26, aligning with Round Two of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership season. The home and away season will consist of 22 rounds, with all teams to play 18 matches and have four byes.

The 2023 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final is scheduled to be played on Sunday, September 24, the weekend before the 2023 Toyota AFL Grand Final, which will be played on Saturday, September 30.

The AFL can confirm the 2023 Smithy’s VFL season will again feature 21 teams from Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. All teams who competed during the 2022 season will feature in the competition in 2023. The composition of clubs for the 2023 Smithy’s VFL season will be:

VFL standalone clubs: Coburg, Frankston, Northern Bullants, Port Melbourne, Southport Sharks, Werribee and Williamstown (7)

AFL aligned clubs: Box Hill Hawks, Casey Demons and Sandringham (3)

AFL standalone clubs: Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Footscray Bulldogs, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS, North Melbourne, Richmond and Sydney Swans (11)

WILDCARD ROUND

An exciting new feature for the 2023 Smithy’s VFL season will be the introduction of a Wildcard Round. The Wildcard Round will be played across the weekend of August 26-27, following the final round of the home and away season. The Wildcard Round will feature two matches. The team that finishes the home and away season in seventh position on the ladder will play the team that finishes 10th, while eighth will take on ninth.

The two winners will advance to the 2023 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series, with the highest-ranked winner during the Wildcard Round to enter the finals as the seventh-placed team. The top-six teams on the Smithy’s VFL ladder will have a pre-finals bye during Wildcard Round, ahead of the commencement of the 2023 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series on the weekend of September 2-3.

The opening weekend of the 2023 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series, featuring the qualifying and elimination finals, will be played during the AFL pre-finals bye.

 

[Giant Strides]

 

[Giant Strides]

Jakob Anderson

STRENGTHS:

• Clean hands
• Intercept marking
• One-on-ones

IMPROVEMENTS:

• Ground balls
• Versatility

Jakob Anderson had a season of mixed emotions, particularly at the end of the year, as the Sandringham Dragons and Vic Metro defender produced a consistent output on the field. Unfortunately for Anderson, injury struck and he missed both the preliminary final and grand final, which meant he watched on as his Dragons teammates celebrated the NAB League flag.

In his final match against the Cannons, Anderson picked up 19 disposals, took five marks and had four rebounds in arguably his best game of the season. Though he missed out on that success, Anderson returned in time to pull on the 'Big V' against Vic Country in the decider at Marvel Stadium, and managed to quell the dangerous Bailey Humphrey in the second half of that match.

A strong aerial player and consistent rebounder, Anderson stands at that medium size of 187cm and 81kg, despite having some tough gigs on taller opponents at times. His clean hands and reliability stands out, and though there are flashier players, Anderson is one who gets the job done, week in, week out. One whose stocks may have been boosted by his championships performances where he averaged around 12 disposals and five marks.


No profile for Creighton but someone probably knows a bit about him

 

[AnUltimateRessie]

Shoutout for making a new thread for 2023!!

Some more list updates ahead of pre-season returning.

 

[Giant Pete]

Shame we lost Grintell.

 

[Jatz]

Happen to live 5-10 mins away from BISP.

Generally get to 3-5 games a season. Love sitting on the hill in the sun. Will have to check in around here when I get to the games this season.

 

[Giant Strides]

GIANTS Re-sign Inaugural VFL Captain

Ryan Hebron has re-signed with the GIANTS for the 2023 VFL season.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

Inaugural VFL Captain Ryan Hebron has extended his commitment to the GIANTS until at least the end of 2023.

Playing 18 games in 2022, Hebron averaged 14.5 disposals, 11.1 kicks and 6.9 marks for the GIANTS. The 25-year-old kicked 21 goals for the season, coming in third highest behind Jake Riccardi and Zach Sproule. He also suited up for his 100th VFL game in 2022, becoming first VFL player to reach the milestone for the GIANTS.

A Sydney local, Hebron attended St Ives on Sydney’s North Shore and was a member of the Swans Academy throughout his junior years. After finishing school, Hebron followed the beaten path to the North Shore Bombers, where he went on to represent the Swans in the NEAFL 27 times from 2014-16 before moving to Sydney Uni to study physiology (treating illness through exercise), playing 39 games for the Students in 2017-18. In 2019 he moved to Melbourne and signed with VFL side Werribee where he played under former GIANTS Assistant Coach Mark Williams.

With the announcement in 2021 that the VFL expansion would include NEAFL standalone teams alongside the Swans, GIANTS, Suns and Lions reserves, Hebron returned to NSW to where it all began. He returned to the Swans for the 2021 VFL season, before making the decision to join the GIANTS in 2022 where he was also named as the team’s inaugural captain. GIANTS VFL Manager Sasha Aynbund had high praise for Hebron, whose experience will prove invaluable in the VFL competition. “We’re really pleased to extend Ryan for another year,” Aynbund said. “Ryan is an exceptional leader and his experience at VFL level is invaluable to the young demographic of our program.”

 

[AnUltimateRessie]

GWS will start the season with their first Victorian match and it will be against Essendon to round out the opening round

 

[Jatz]

Sad it wasn't a home game.

 

[fridgeman]

Hopefully the schedule is more friendly to not having to double up on staff due to games at the same time but either different grounds or even states and also for the supporters
When the reserves start the season at 2 in Melbourne v the Bombers the AFL team are in Perth with a 6.20 start time so at least we can watch but it still means doubling up on the off field crew. 3.20 Bombers play the Suns in the AFL that day with the Suns reserves playing next to Metricon with start at Midday
At least the Swans do alright with the teams matching up and the game before the seniors at tramway oval with the SCG game

 

[Giant Strides]

 

[fridgeman]

Another signed for the VFL, Jaelen Pavlidis. Played a VFL game for the club last year so must have impressed also a joint winner at the Western Jets last year I think

Spirited GIANTS Fall to Carlton in VFL

After a strong opening half, the inexperienced GIANTS fell to Carlton in the VFL.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

Top of the class: The top 5 in the B&F from every NAB League Boys team

Who won the best and fairest in 2022? See the results from each NAB League Boys team

www.afl.com.au

 

[Giant Strides]

VFL Fixture is in too!

 

[captainMyCaptain]

 

[captainMyCaptain]

Certainly an interesting VFL squad were putting together

 

[AnUltimateRessie]

A quick breakdown of the GWS Giants 2023 VFL Fixture

• Split home games between BISP and GIANTS Stadium.
• First home match in round 2.
• 5 AFL curtain raisers.
• Sydney derby in round 20.
• They won't play Werribee and Williamstown.

Also here is an article from Brendan Rhodes if you are interested in how it ranks up against other teams.

A look ahead: A review of your club's 2023 Smithy's VFL fixture

Check out all you need to know about your club's fixture for the 2023 Smithy's VFL season

www.afl.com.au

 

[Giant Strides]

Why am I not surprised that we get shafted with the hardest draw, for a club that didn't make the finals?

 

[AnUltimateRessie]

Why am I not surprised that we get shafted with the hardest draw, for a club that didn't make the finals?

I don't think it's too bad for the Giants. Coburg, Northern Bullants, Essendon, Frankston, and North Melbourne are some weak teams and some of your best options to play interstate while playing the tougher teams like Southport on a home deck will help especially when the Sharks like to bully teams at Fankhauser Reserve. Casey at Casey and Geelong at Geelong will be tough though, especially if Geelong are any good this year.

 

[fridgeman]

Shaw Joins GIANTS’ VFL Program

Will Shaw will remain a GIANT after signing with the VFL program.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

Will Shaw stays with the club which is good and a few signings have been announced on the Giants social media

Interesting it seems to be a different strategy for the reserves this year with not so many overagers staying with the program so hopefully it is successful for the club

 

[Giant Strides]

Billy Clark returns to the VFL team.



And ...

 

[Giant Strides]

Tom McCaffrey hails from Sydney, but has played for Werribee and Casey Demons in the VFL during the past 3 years. He has the ability to run and carry and make good decisions (past coaches' comments):

• “Tom’s a really hard running outside player that can play a range of different roles.”
• “He’s a nice decision maker with ball in hand."
• "He’s got pace and his endurance is in the top echelon in the VFL so Tom’s capacity to work up and down the ground at high speed will be a great attribute.”

 

[Jatz]

Only the two games at Blacktown?

Well that sucks.

 

[Giant Strides]

Only the two games at Blacktown?

Well that sucks.

Black day for Black town.

Only 6 home games with venues, 2 at BISP & 4 aligned with the AFL game (which is probably better, in that some fans may come in early).

3 more games to have details added.

I would have said that's about par?

 

[Jatz]

Black day for Black town.

Only 6 home games with venues, 2 at BISP & 4 aligned with the AFL game (which is probably better, in that some fans may come in early).

3 more games to have details added.

I would have said that's about par?

Thought I got to more than that last year but now you mention it, some of those may have been Swans games.