Four GIANTS have been rewarded for excellent seasons after being named in the 2023 NSW State of Origin side.
GIANTS Kieren Briggs, Jack Buckley, Harry Perryman and Harry Himmelberg have all been included in the starting 18 in this year’s side after playing crucial roles in the GIANTS’ thrilling run towards another finals campaign.
Chosen by the NSW Australian Football History Society, in collaboration with the AFL Coaches’ Association, the 22-person representative side recognises the best performing NSW-born players each season.
The defensive trio of Buckley, Perryman and Himmelberg were recognised for their huge contributions as part of one of the competition’s most defiant backlines, while Briggs was rewarded for his breakout season in the ruck after emerging as one of the competition’s brightest young stars in the back half of the 2023 season.
Since given an opportunity in round 10, Briggs has quickly become one of the GIANTS’ key players, leading all ruckmen across the competition for clearances per game while ranking third in tackles and sixth for possession among his adversaries.
On top of selection at the starting ruckman in this year’s team, Briggs was also awarded the Jimmy Stiff Medal as the best ‘Emerging Talent’ following his meteoric rise. The award is named in honour of the South Sydney premiership star who won the best player award at the ANFC interstate carnival in Sydney in 1933.
Adelaide’s Taylor Walker was named captain of the 2023 NSW State of Origin team, in a season where he also won the Bill Mohr Medal (named in honour of the St Kilda goalkicking champion in the 1930s from Wagga) for leading NSW goal kicker this season with 76 goals.
NSW Australian Football History Society patron Richard Colless, who leads the selection process, was thrilled with the 2023 NSW State of Origin side.
“This year’s team is equally as strong as last year’s, and the selectors felt that this team could give most AFL teams a run for their money,” Colless said.
“Three of the Sydney based players – Jack Buckley, Nick Blakey and Errol Gulden - were recruited from UNSW-Eastern Suburbs, the most from any single club. While two clubs provided two players each - Kieren Briggs and Braeden Campbell (both from Pennant Hills), and Collingullie-Glenfield Park duo Harry Perryman and Matt Kennedy.
“As the convenor of the selection panel, I want to thank the selectors, Gerard Healy, Mike Sheahan, Mark Maclure, and Wayne Carey, and Rod Gillett for their considered input.”
20233 NSW State of Origin Team
FB: Harry Cunningham (Sydney), Nick Murray (Adelaide), Harry Himmelberg (GIANTS)
HB: Harry Perryman (GIANTS), Jack Buckley (GIANTS), Nick Blakey (Sydney)
C: Errol Gulden (Sydney), Callum Mills (Sydney), Isaac Smith (Geelong)
HF: Luke Breust (VC – Hawthorn), Taylor Walker (C – Adelaide), Isaac Heeney (Sydney)
FF: Lachie Schultz (Fremantle), Tom Hawkins (Geelong), Jeremy Finlayson (Pt Ade.) RR: Kieren Briggs (GIANTS), Jacob Hopper (Richmond), Matthew Kennedy (Carlton)
Bench: Jarrod Witts (Gold Coast), Braeden Campbell (Sydney), Todd Marshall (Port Adelaide), Taylor Duryea (Western Bulldogs)
Coaches: John Longmire (senior), Greg Stafford, Lenny Hayes, Ben Mathews, Jarrad McVeigh
