Star GIANTS defender Lachie Ash says he can’t wait to make the most of his special Origin honour as he looks to help the Victorians take down Western Australia while learning off some of the competition’s best.
Last month Ash capped off a brilliant 2025 season by being selected to represent his home state of Victoria against WA in the 2026 AAMI Origin game to be played at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Saturday, February 14.
One of the league’s most improved players over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Ash will don the ‘Big V’ following a 2025 season in which he took his game to even greater heights to be named in his maiden All-Australian squad.
“It’s really exciting and a massive honour to be honest. I feel very honoured and privileged to be a part of that,” Ash said of his Origin selection at GIANTS HQ on Wednesday.
“It was a bit of a shock and a surprise but I’m really excited to represent Victoria and also to learn off some of the best players in the competition and pick their brains.
“We are going over [to WA] for the week so it’ll be great to get over there and get amongst the group and then play some footy. It’ll be the first game [for the year] for everyone that’s playing so everyone will be cracking in and playing hard I would imagine.”
The dashing defender added there was a host of names he is excited about playing alongside.
“Theres a few,” he said.
“Everyone wants to play with ‘The Bont’ [Marcus Bontempelli]. I played with ‘Jez’ [Jeremy Cameron] early on in my career but it will be great to play with him again.
“Then there’s some younger players like Nick Daicos who is one of the best players in the competition. Then Max Holmes is someone who I really admire and someone who I see some things in his game and try to implement into mine, so it’ll be nice to play next to him.
“But there’s not many names on the team sheet that you wouldn’t want to run out next to so I’m just excited to get out there and run around.”
A fierce rivalry in its heyday, Ash said he was confident the Victorians would take down the West Australians in the highly anticipated return of Origin football on February 14.
“It’ll be a great game and a great spectacle, but I think the Vics will come out on top, our team looks pretty strong,” he said.
“But you never know, let’s see how we go on the day, but it’ll be good fun.”
Turning his attention to the GIANTS and the upcoming AFL season, Ash said he’s expecting big big things out of one of the competition’s emerging superstars.
“I think ‘Cads’ [Aaron Cadman] has taken his game to another level,” Ash said of the exciting young key forward.
“His presence out on the track has been great and it looks like he’s taken a couple of steps forward which is very exciting for us and just football in general.
“He’s going to be a force this year – which is great for us.”
Ash was also quick to throw praise to three other emerging teammates as the GIANTS continue their push for their maiden premiership in 2026.
“Joe Fonti has come back in really good shape. He played a lot of footy in the back end of last year and cemented his spot a little bit but he’s come back really hungry.
“Harry Rowston too – there’s maybe a spot in the midfield and he’s hungry and going after that.
“And then I reckon big Nick Madden- he’s come back in unbelievable shape. He’s done every session and been ticking all the boxes and really pushing ‘Brigga’ [Kieren Briggs] which is great as we love competition for spots.”
Following the Origin clash on February 14, the GIANTS will play a pair of pre-season games against the Magpies and the Swans before their much anticipated Opening Round clash with Hawthorn, with Ash eager to take on the side that ended the GIANTS' 2025 season in last year’s epic Elimination Final at ENGIE Stadium.
“That’ll be massive,” Ash said of the Opening Round clash with the Hawks.
“We’ve played Collingwood the last couple of Opening Rounds after they beat us in that [2023] prelim and we’ve started the year pretty strong both of those years so hopefully we can do the same against the Hawks.
“I think Opening Round is only six weeks away, so it’ll come around pretty quick and we’ll be chomping by the bit to get out there by then.
“ENGIE Stadium is normally packed for Opening Round which is great for us to play in front of a big crowd.
“The Hawks are obviously a good team and have been for a few years now and we normally play a pretty good contest against them.
“By the time that game comes around I’m sure we’ll be ready to rock and roll and it’ll be exciting.”
