The GIANTS have welcomed six new faces to their AFLW squad following Wednesday’s 2017 NAB AFLW Draft in Melbourne.

The GIANTS have added a mixture of youth and experience to their squad that won one game and had one draw in the inaugural AFLW season last year. 

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20-year-old midfielder and professional cricketer Jodie Hicks was selected with the GIANTS’ first pick in the draft, while the GIANTS selected Gaelic Footballer Cora Staunton with their 47th pick. 

Pick 5 - Jodie Hicks
From: Belconnen Magpies (AFL Canberra)

Position: Midfielder/ Forward

Jodie Hicks is an extremely talented athlete who also played cricket for the ACT and the Sydney Sixers in Women’s Big Bash League. Hicks hails from Hay in the Riverina and is a product of NSW/ACT Youth Girls Talent Pathway program. Hicks starred for NSW/ACT at national level, twice being named in the Under 18s All Australian team. Equipped with accurate kicking and hardness at the ball, Hicks will be seen in the GIANTS’ midfield or kicking goals up forward in 2018.

Pick 17 - Tanya Hetherington
From: Diamond Creek (VFLW)

Position: Defender

A key defender, Tanya Hetherington is the captain of Diamond Creek in the VFL Women’s competition in Victoria. Hetherington spent 18 months on the sidelines after tearing her ACL before returning to play every game this season, leading her side to the VFLW Grand Final and being named in the VFLW team of the season. While out with injury, the 32-year-old coached Diamond Creek and will add valuable leadership and insight both on and off the field for the GIANTS.

Pick 25 - Courtney Gum
From: South Adelaide FC (SANFL Statewide Super Women’s League)

Position: Midfield

Courtney Gum hails from South Australia but played for the UNSW-ES Stingrays in NSW for years, winning the 2012 Mostyn Medal. The 35-year-old was recently crowned the inaugural SANFL women’s competition’s best and fairest player. Her stunning season was capped off by also being awarded the league’s coaches’ award, which was voted on by the league’s four club coaches. Averaging 24.3 possessions a game, Gum is an inside midfielder best known for her pinpoint kick with her left and right foot and her ability to clear the ball out of the centre. Gum played in the 2013 and 2014 Women’s exhibition matches for Melbourne.

Pick 39 - Phoebe Monahan
From: UNSW-ES Stingray (AFL Sydney)

Position: Midfielder

Phoebe Monahan is a tough midfielder from the UNSW-ES Stingrays in the AFL Sydney competition, with whom she won this year’s AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division Grand Final alongside GIANTS Maddy Collier, Rebecca Beeson and Jacinda Barclay. A sapper in the Australian Defence Force, Monahan placed third in the 2017 Mostyn Medal for the best and fairest of the AFL Sydney competition, behind GIANTS AFLW captain Amanda Farrugia and last year’s number one draft pick Nicola Barr. Hard and tenacious at the ball, Monahan is a running midfielder who can also play along half-back.

Pick 43 - Philippa Smyth
From: Nelson Bay Marlins (Black Diamond AFL, NSW)

Position: Ruck/ Forward

Philippa Smyth is a powerful and athletic key position player hailing from Nelson Bay on the north coast of NSW. Since crossing from netball three years ago, she has continued to develop her footballing skills and has developed a strong overhead mark. Playing in the Black Diamond Australian Football League, Pippa impressed with her performance at the GIANTS’ AFL Women’s testing day which led to a call up to the NAB AFLW Draft Combine where she impressed, finishing first overall in the 20m sprint. Usually plays in the ruck but can play in key positions or on the wing given her elite fitness gained from her job as a personal trainer.

Pick 47 - Cora Staunton
From: Mayo (Ladies Gaelic Football Association, Ireland)

Position: Forward

Cora Staunton is an Irish women's footballer, best known as a Ladies Gaelic footballer, winning four All-Ireland Finals and three Ladies' National Football League titles with Mayo, she has also been an All Star on ten occasions. In addition to playing Gaelic football, Staunton has also played three other football codes at a senior level. In 2006, as an association footballer, she won an FAI Women's Cup winner's medal with the Mayo Ladies League representative team. In 2013, she began playing rugby union for Castlebar Ladies in the Connacht Women's League. She has also played for the Ireland women's international rules football team. This is Staunton’s first experience playing AFL Women’s football and is expected to play a role as a marking forward for the GIANTS in 2018.