The GIANTS are excited to announce six more new additions to their VFL side for 2025, with half a dozen newcomers joining the club from its new Albury VFL hub.
Established for the 2025 season, the GIANTS are continuing their focus on connecting with regional communities with the creation of its new hub in Albury which is aimed to provide pathways for talented players in the region to train, develop, and potentially play for the GIANTS’ VFL side.
The club is excited to announce it has currently signed six players for the hub, with Noah Bradshaw, Nick Irvine, Ben Coghill, Jaiden Butson, Liam McCarthy, and Jace McQuade signed to kickstart the initiative.
Bradshaw, the son of former Lion and Swan Daniel Bradshaw, joins the club’s VFL program following two seasons of senior football for Wodonga in the Ovens and Murray Football League, where the 22-year-old was named the Bulldogs’ Most Consistent Player in 2024.
Prior to that Bradshaw played some VFL football for Collingwood in 2022 while also dominating in the midfield in the Coates Talent League where he averaged 25 touches per game for the Murray Bushrangers.
Also a former Murray Bushranger – having played for the side in 2019 alongside GIANTS defender Lachie Ash – Irvine joins the GIANTS’ VFL side following two seasons with Yarrawonga in the Ovens and Murray Football League, with the competitive and well-balanced defender one of the Pigeons’ best in their 2023 premiership win.
Joining him at the GIANTS from the Pigeons this season is Coghill, a young key forward hailing from Rennie, NSW.
Only 21 years old, Coghill is an exciting tall prospect who last year played a full season of senior football for the Pigeons where he received the club’s Rising Star Award.
Also onboard the GIANTS’ expanded VFL program for 2025 is Butson, a young midfielder who originally made the move from Cairns this year to play at Corowa-Rutherglen in the Ovens and Murray competition.
Having previously done a pre-season with Collingwood’s VFL side, Butson is a calm and composed 21-year-old onballer who makes good decisions.
The most experienced player added to the club’s Albury VFL hub, McCarthy is a 26-year-old utility who was the runner-up in the 2024 Crathern Medal awarded to AFL Cairns’ best player.
An elite kick and possessing a strong footy IQ, McCarthy played over 100 games for Colac in the Geelong Football League and also played for Geelong’s VFL side in 2022.
Having spent the last two years playing for South Cairns, McCarthy also made the move down south this year to play for Corowa-Rutherglen.
The final addition to the club’s Albury hub, McQuade joins the GIANTS fresh off a key role in the Wangaratta Rovers’ upset grand final win in the Ovens and Murray league last year.
A rangy key defender who has come through the Rovers program since a young age, McQuade has previously done a pre-season with Carlton’s VFL side and over the last couple of years has starred while restricting some of the best key forwards in the Ovens and Murray competition.
“It’s really exciting to have these players signed up to our VFL program this year following the introduction of our Albury VFL hub,” GIANTS Head of Talent Adrian Caruso said.
“We started this initiative to create opportunities for players with potential to play at VFL level and it is great to help give these guys an opportunity to push to play at a higher level without having to leave the region.
“This venture is an incredible opportunity for these players and also for the Albury community.”
The GIANTS’ VFL side will take on the Swans’ VFL squad in a practice match on Friday afternoon at Tramway Oval following a practice match between the club’s AFL sides.
