For generations, cricket and AFL have shared a unique connection.
In 1858, Tom Wills called for a winter game to help keep cricketers fit during the off-season. Just a year later, Wills and fellow members of the Melbourne Cricket Club helped establish the first codified rules, laying the foundations for what has become today’s game.
More than 160 years later, the two codes have grown to become the defining pillars of Australia's sporting culture, united by iconic venues, shared history and a passion that transcends seasons.
That relationship extends beyond shared grounds and sporting traditions, with several athletes crossing between the two codes over the years.
One of the earliest examples is Sport Australia Hall of Famer Keith Miller. Before becoming one of Australia's greatest all-round cricketers, Miller played 50 VFL games for St Kilda between 1940 and 1946, kicking 42 goals. His football and cricket careers were interrupted by World War II, where he served as a bomber pilot for the Royal Australian Air Force in Europe. He returned home to establish himself as one of Australia's most celebrated cricketers, playing 55 Tests for Australia and later becoming an inaugural inductee into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. Miller’s ties to football never disappeared, with the all-rounder going on to represent the Sydney Naval Australian Rules Football Club and New South Wales after the war, and decades later, returning to the game as Chief Commissioner of the NSWAFL in 1987.
By the second half of the century, another future cricketing great was pursuing a football dream. Long before becoming a household name, Shane Warne spent time in St Kilda's under-19 ranks, even making a reserves appearance in 1988 after being named as a late inclusion under the name "Trevor" Warne. The decision to focus on cricket would prove a wise one, with the leg-spinner going on to become one of the most influential cricketers the game has ever seen. Despite his success on the pitch, Warne's connection to football endured, returning to St Kilda in an off-field consultancy role and taking part in a legends match against the GIANTS in 2012.
The connection remains just as strong today with Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey named as the inaugural captain of the GIANTS' TAC Cup side, leading the club to finals in 2010 before turning his attention back to cricket to become one of Australia's most accomplished cricketers and a mainstay of the national team.
Before being selected by the GIANTS with the club's first pick and fifth overall selection in the 2017 AFLW Draft, Jodie Hicks had already made her mark in cricket with the Sydney Sixers, lining up alongside current GIANTS number one ticket holder and former Australian captain Alyssa Healy, helping the club claim its first WBBL title in 2017.
From Tom Wills' vision to the modern era, the connection between cricket and AFL has endured for more than a century and a half.
Now, the GIANTS are celebrating that history with the launch of the exclusive 2 for 22 Membership.
Inspired by cricket's iconic "2 for 22" scoreline, immortalised by the unmistakable voice of Richie Benaud, the GIANTS' newest membership offer celebrates the connection between Australia's great summer and winter sports.
For just $22, cricket fans can secure a Flexi 2 Membership, providing general admission access to any two GIANTS home games of their choice across ENGIE Stadium and Corroboree Group Oval, Manuka.
But the opportunity doesn't stop there.
Every fan who signs up through the 2 for 22 Membership will automatically go into the draw to win a truly unforgettable experience - a private net session with GIANTS number one ticket holders and Australian cricket greats Mitch Starc and Alyssa Healy, alongside a number of GIANTS players.
It's a once-in-a-lifetime prize that brings together two of Australia's most loved sporting codes, giving one lucky winner unparalleled access to some of the country's biggest names.
Starc and Healy were announced as the GIANTS' joint number one ticket holders in March 2025, bringing their incredible sporting achievements and passion for the club to the GIANTS family.
Along with access to two home games, members will receive a range of exclusive benefits, including priority access to finals tickets in weeks one to three and priority three access to purchase Grand Final tickets, discounts at the GIANTS Shop, invitations to Members Connect calls featuring players, coaches and club executives, exclusive digital content, access to the Member Tenure Rewards program and a host of game day perks and partner offers.
For cricket fans looking for a team to get behind this off-season, the 2 for 22 Membership is the perfect introduction to GIANTS footy.
Whether you've followed Starc and Healy's journey, grown up hearing Richie Benaud's famous calls or simply love Australian sport, there's never been a better time to experience the excitement of AFL.
