THE GWS Giants Academy booted the last seven goals of the game to run over Tasmania Devils 8.11 (59) to 1.5 (11) in Round 6 of the Talent League Girls at Blacktown International Sportspark on Saturday. It was a comprehensive victory for the Giants, who were led by a four-goal haul from bottom-ager Billie Hamilton and strong contributions across the ground. The game was unfortunately marred by a serious knee injury to Giants midfielder Darcie Prosser-Shaw early in the fourth term.

We took note of some of the players from each side that caught the eye.

GWS GIANTS ACADEMY:

#1 Isla Judd
Wing | 166cm | 12/10/2008

Stats: 24 disposals, 5 marks, 8 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Judd’s defensive intensity is every bit as valuable as her ball use going forward, and the game-high eight tackles from a wing reflect a two-way player who competes hard whether the ball is near or far. Her decision-making stood out across four quarters – most notably when she marked at half-forward in the second term, played on, and rather than taking the shot from 40 metres, floated a well-placed kick for Hamilton to take a one-on-one mark. Clean technique, smart read of the game, and a work rate that consistently offers more than the disposal count alone suggests.

#5 Lyla Wescombe
Forward | 166cm | 04/02/2010

Stats: 17 disposals, 7 marks, 1 tackle, 3 inside 50s, 1 behind

The double bottom-ager was a real handful, with seven marks reflecting how confidently she took the ball in traffic. Her third term was particularly impressive – a sublime kick to Trevitt on the lead, a beautifully weighted switch kick across half-forward to the leading Georgia Patterson, and a strong one-on-one contested mark that she held before turning, stepping, and driving the ball deep inside 50. That kind of upper-body strength in a marking contest is not typical for an Under 16s player and is the most exciting element of her game.

#12 Ariela Paterson
Forward | 170cm | 22/11/2008

Stats: 18 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 7 inside 50s, 1 goal

A constant threat in the forward half, Paterson showed a real instinct for finding dangerous positions and the composure to capitalise when she got there. Her goal in the fifth minute was a beauty – getting goalside of her opponent and bouncing through on the run with confidence. Her elite lateral kick across the 50-metre arc under pressure in the second term was the other standout – a weighted ball to open up the attack that showed advanced forward craft and the ability to find space where others might not even look.

#13 Jade Paterson
Wing | 173cm | 22/11/2008

Stats: 16 disposals, 4 marks, 8 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

The twin who operated on the wing rather than in the forward half, Jade’s defining contribution was a low, flat bullet inside 50 in the second term to hit up Day on the lead for a goal – the kind of delivery that only comes from a player who can read a forward’s lead and execute under pressure simultaneously. Her clean hands off the deck were a feature throughout, and the eight tackles – matching Judd for the team-high – reflect a player who competed hard at every contest.

#22 Darcie Prosser-Shaw
Midfielder | 171cm | 02/06/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 6 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

The game ended early and in the worst possible way for Prosser-Shaw, who went to ground in the fourth term after a change of direction and did not return. What came before it confirmed why she is one of the more exciting midfielders in the Giants Academy crop. Her run-down tackle on Lange at half-back in the third term – getting across the ground at full pace and hauling in one of the most prolific ball-winners in the competition – was the moment to savour, before she immediately drove the ball into the middle and made the run all the way into the forward half to take a mark and attempt a set shot. Physical, direct and consistently dangerous going forward. A sobering end to what had been a compelling display and a really promising top-age season to-date. We wish her all the best with her recovery.

#25 Majella Day
Forward | 177cm | 11/03/2008

Stats: 13 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 2 hitouts, 1 inside 50, 1 goal, 3 behinds

A quieter disposal day than Day’s recent standards, but her ability to keep competing and making herself available was evident throughout. The second-term goal was made to look straightforward after pushing up to the wing, taking the Jade Paterson switch ball on the lead and converting calmly – but the lead work that created it was quality. Her active play on the goal line to mark a Prosser-Shaw set shot that fell short and immediately put it back inside 50 in the third term was a smart, instinctive act. Three tackles reflect the defensive awareness she brings even when the result is heading one way.

#28 Evie Henley
Utility | 171cm | 13/07/2009

Stats: 20 disposals, 3 marks, 6 tackles, 5 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

The bottom-ager did what bottom-agers who belong at this level do – she played a full four quarters across multiple lines and was consistently involved. Her best moment came in the first term when she snapped around her body to the hotspot to set up a goal to Hamilton, and her willingness to rotate into defence and handle a ruck stoppage in the back pocket in the second term showed the versatility that makes her so valuable. Playing predominantly midfield, she was strong around the coalface and she continued to be an offensive threat going forward.

#29 Addison Hickey
Defender | 173cm | 09/06/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s

Hickey was the reliable presence in the back half that allowed the Giants’ more attack-minded players to push forward with confidence. Her game was defined by quick, clean ball use under pressure – gathering off the deck, getting hands away before opposition pressure could arrive, and running beside teammates after disposing to offer an outlet. Played a key role from half-back.

#30 Morgan Stevens
Defender | 177cm | 13/08/2008

Stats: 24 disposals, 5 marks, 2 tackles, 1 hitout, 2 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 1 behind

Stevens was at her intercept-marking best throughout – two strong grabs at half-back in the opening term, including one on the goal line that immediately defused a Devils attack, before thumping a long clearing kick through the middle and mopping up cleanly in the back pocket whenever the Devils threatened. Her kickouts were consistently effective, her positioning proactive, and her kicking technique sublime throughout. There were a couple of rare blemishes late in the game, but they were exceptions in an otherwise commanding defensive display and clearly a standout in the win.

#32 Alana Fraser
Tall Defender | 175cm | 27/09/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 2 hitouts, 1 clearance, 3 rebound 50s

Fraser’s game was built on the same qualities she has shown all season – reliable positioning, clean technique by foot, and a composure in defence that makes her difficult to score against. She forced a kick out on the full through good pressure on the wing in the first term, converted her marks into efficient rebounds from defensive 50, and consistently extracted the ball from danger to the advantage of a teammate.

#34 Billie Hamilton
Forward/Midfielder | 168cm | 14/11/2009

Stats: 11 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles, 2 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 4 goals

A statement performance from a bottom-ager. Hamilton’s four goals came in different ways and from different situations – running onto a loose ball in the first term, strolling in from a well-taken mark in the second, winning a one-on-one aerial contest by working under her opponent before converting, and a composed set shot from a tight left-foot angle in the third term that required real nerve. Impressively, Hamilton still laid five tackles, using her stronger frame to full advantage.

TASMANIA DEVILS:

#2 Evie Ward
Midfielder | 171cm | 29/10/2008

Stats: 27 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles, 6 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 2 behinds

Ward’s output on the losing side is the kind of performance that speaks to genuine quality. She found the ball consistently through contested ability and smart reading of the game, contributed on both sides of the ball, and had two genuine shots at goal rather than reckless attempts. Crucially, her output didn’t dip as the gap widened in the second half, with the skipper always getting involved and finding it all over the ground.

#6 Matilda Lange
Midfielder | 170cm | 30/01/2009

Stats: 32 disposals, 3 marks, 4 tackles, 5 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 1 behind

Another remarkable output from the standout bottom-ager in this year’s competition, in a team beaten by 48 points. Lange was at the centre bounce all game and refused to be subdued by the scoreline – a huge specky on the wing in the second term, a run-down tackle on Prosser-Shaw to win a free in the third, and a fourth quarter where she kept driving the ball forward right until the siren even as the game was well decided. The conversation around Lange as one of the standout prospect for the 2027 AFLW Draft continues to strengthen with each performance.

#7 Evie Bingham
Midfielder/Forward | 171cm | 16/06/2008

Stats: 20 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 5 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Bingham was competitive in the middle across four quarters, winning the first centre clearance of the game to set an early tone. Her clean moments with the hands – tidy dish-offs under pressure and quick release when tackled – were the consistent feature, and five clearances reflect a player who won her share of the contested moments even in a team that struggled to convert. Can make some errors at times, but overall a solid four-quarter shift.

#9 Luca Murgatroyd
Tall Defender | 178cm | 01/04/2009

Stats: 18 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 2 hitouts, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Murgatroyd spent much of the game in the back half and around the ground, producing tidy defensive contributions as Tasmania fought to contain the Giants’ scoreboard dominance. Her best individual moment came in the third term – a genuinely strong intercept mark at half-forward that she delivered by foot back to the hotspot. Athletic traits were evident in moments, and while she did turn some kicks over downfield, worked hard mopping up when she could, and the defensive running across four quarters reflected a bottom-ager who kept competing when the game was well out of reach.

#13 Imogen Verdouw
Ruck | 180cm | 11/07/2009

Stats: 11 disposals, 1 mark, 6 tackles, 24 hitouts, 3 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

Verdouw competed hard in the ruck division across four quarters and showed some promising awareness around the ground for a young ruck still finding her feet at this level. Her leap was evident early and she showed promise with her second and third efforts. Six tackles from limited disposals reflects real competitive intent, and a third-term intercept mark at half-forward showed her willingness to go forward when the opportunity arose.