Season 2025 marked the third year of Adam Kingsley’s reign as senior coach, with the GIANTS continuing to flourish under his leadership. After back-to-back record-breaking campaigns in 2023 and 2024, the club again pushed the competition’s elite before another heartbreaking September exit.
Toby Greene once again led the club as standalone captain, with vice-captains Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio providing strong support. Tom Green, Sam Taylor, and Connor Idun retained their spots in the leadership group, while Jack Buckley and Brent Daniels were elevated for the first time, a sign of the club’s growing depth of leaders.
The season began in familiar fashion, with the GIANTS producing another powerful Opening Round performance over Collingwood at ENGIE Stadium. That win set the tone for another outstanding home-and-away campaign, as Kingsley’s side charged to 16 wins — equalling the club’s best-ever return — to finish in fifth place on one of the tightest ladders in AFL history.
The fifth-place finish earned the GIANTS a home Elimination Final against Hawthorn at ENGIE Stadium in week one of finals. But what loomed as a dream night for the orange faithful turned into heartbreak. After falling 42 points behind midway through the third term, the GIANTS mounted a stunning fightback to level the scores early in the last quarter, only for the Hawks to steady and kick away late, consigning Kingsley’s men to a gut-wrenching 19-point defeat.
While the finals campaign ended prematurely, the GIANTS’ 2025 season was filled with achievements, milestones, and the emergence of a new generation of stars.
Finn Callaghan enjoyed a breakout year, elevating himself into the conversation as one of the AFL’s most damaging midfielders at just 22 years of age. Up forward, 2022 number one pick Aaron Cadman showcased his enormous potential, booting 44 goals in a career-best season to underline his status as a future star.
Recognition flowed across the competition, with Tom Green, Lachie Ash, and Callaghan all named in the 44-man All-Australian squad – the first time for both Ash and Callaghan. While Sam Taylor went one step further, earning his second All-Australian blazer after another commanding season in defence.
Milestones were another highlight of 2025. Captain Toby Greene and Lachie Whitfield both celebrated their 250th AFL games, while Harry Himmelberg reached 200. Greene also slotted his 400th career goal, further cementing his standing as one of the club’s greatest players. Midfield bull Tom Green and dependable defender Connor Idun each played their 100th games.
Boom recruit Jake Stringer made his GIANTS debut, overcoming an injury-interrupted start to his GIANTS career to play a key role in the side’s surge towards finals — the club’s eighth September campaign in the past 10 years.
At the other end of the spectrum, four debutants proudly pulled on the orange and charcoal for the first time: James Leake, Josaia Delana, Cody Angove, and Nick Madden. Each showcased glimpses of the GIANTS’ bright future.
The GIANTS’ exciting young cohort continued to shine in 2025, headlined by Joe Fonti and Harry Rowston who both earned Rising Star nominations in rounds 20 and 23 respectively.
Meanwhile, the GIANTS said goodbye to some of their most beloved players at season’s end. Club legend and inaugural co-captain Callan Ward, 35, brought to a close a remarkable 18-year career that spanned 327 games and saw him etch his name into the very fabric of two clubs — the Western Bulldogs, where it all began, and the GIANTS, where he became a legend.
A fierce competitor and natural-born leader, Ward departed the game as a trailblazer for the GIANTS, having played an instrumental role in the club’s formation, its culture, and its identity.
His impact was more than symbolic. On the field, Ward led from the front — a courageous, hard-running inside midfielder renowned for his relentless effort, composure under pressure, and unmatched toughness. He was the club’s first-ever goal kicker, its first club champion, and in 2024 became the first GIANT to reach 250 games for the club — a testament to his durability, commitment, and class.
Joining Ward in retirement was Lachlan Keeffe – one of the club’s most popular players and a trusted teammate across 79 games in orange and charcoal.
Arriving at the GIANTS ahead of the 2018 season after 40 games with Collingwood, Keeffe quickly established himself as the ultimate team man and a heart-and-soul figure within the club.
An incredibly versatile utility, Keeffe filled roles as a key forward, key defender, and back-up ruck across his eight seasons with the GIANTS. His professionalism, selflessness, and care for his teammates ensured he will always be remembered as one of the club’s most respected figures.
Though the season ended with more finals heartbreak, 2025 will be remembered as another year of progress and promise, with the GIANTS’ mix of established stars and rising talent leaving fans optimistic that the club’s long-awaited ultimate success is drawing ever closer.
Meanwhile in the women’s program, it was a year to celebrate how far the AFLW has come as the competition celebrated its 10th season in 2025.
While the GIANTS didn’t sing the song as much as they’d hoped in 2025, there were still so much to celebrate and be proud of across the season – highlighted by an epic seven-point win over the Swans in round six in front of a packed-out Henson Park.
Across the 2025 season the GIANTS had five players realise their AFLW dreams, with Sara Howley, Grace Martin, Grace Kos, Caitlin Fletcher, and Sophie Kavanagh all making their AFLW debuts.
Four more new faces played their first games in orange and charcoal across the season, with Eleanor Brown, Taylah Levy, Daisy Walker, and Vivien Saad all representing the club for the first time.
Georgia Garnett played her 50th game in the thrilling Sydney Derby win over the Swans, while Tarni Evans celebrated game 50 against the Blues. Meanwhile, Katherine Smith reached the 75-game milestone, a massive achievement from one of the club’s leaders.
Zarlie Goldsworthy, Maddi Brazendale and Kaitlyn Srhoj were all acknowledged as young guns of the competition with selection in the AFLPA 22Under22 squad, with Goldsworthy also making the final team for a third straight season.
Srhoj also picked up a second AFLW Rising Star nomination, highlighting she’ll be a star of the competition in no time.
Goldsworthy confirmed her standing as one of the league’s brightest young stars as she claimed the 2025 Gabrielle Trainor Medal to become a two-time winner at just 20 years of age.
Skipper Rebecca Beeson and star forward Tarni Evans rounded out the podium of the Gabrielle Trainor Medal, while several other GIANTS had career-best seasons in 2025, with the likes of Cambridge McCormick, Emily Pease, Katherine Smith, Brodee Mowbray, and Eilish O’Dowd all taking huge steps in their game amongst many of their teammates.
In more exciting news, Goldsworthy and McCormick were selected in the AFLW All-Australian squad, with McCormick capping off a breakout season with selection in the final side on the half-back line.
As well as on field improvement, the GIANTS continued to grow as a club off field in 2025, with the AFLW crowd numbers increasing more than 20% at home games. The club also had over 3000 AFLW members in 2025, a significant increase and a key to the continued growth and success of the GIANTS.
Following the conclusion of the season, one of the GIANTS’ most revered players, Katherine Smith, called time on her AFLW career.
One of the true trailblazers of the competition, Smith was originally selected by the Demons in the inaugural AFLW Draft in 2016. She played 21 games for Melbourne before joining the GIANTS and going on to become one of the club’s fearless leaders.
A natural leader in the game, Smith served as vice-captain in 2024, setting the standard with her relentless work ethic, strong on-field communication, and unwavering commitment to team-first football, while also playing a significant role in mentoring younger players coming through the program.
Smith’s consistency and influence were further reflected in her strong Club Champion results, finishing third in the 2024 count before backing it up with a fifth-place finish in 2025.
The 27-year-old called time on her career having played 78 games across two clubs, leaving behind a legacy as both a competitor and one of the league’s most respected advocates.
