There will be plenty at stake when the GIANTS and Swans meet in Sunday’s highly anticipated Sydney Derby, but for Emily Pease, the occasion will carry extra significance.
Pease will play her 50th AFLW game in Sunday’s huge clash as the GIANTS and the Swans face off at Henson Park with city bragging rights on the line.
Joining the club out of Canberra via pick 29 in the 2020 AFLW Draft, Pease burst onto the scene in her debut season to claim the GIANTS’ Rising Star Award and has since cemented herself as one of the side’s most consistent and reliable players.
“I think it's pretty cool,” the 24-year-old said ahead of her milestone match.
“I think you can ask anyone who's played 50 games, or 75 or even 100 games, those milestone games are pretty special.
“I've been here for seven years, so it feels like ages leading up to this, but I've gone through some setbacks here and there, so it's pretty special.”
Pease says she can’t wait to pull on the GIANTS’ Never Surrender Jumper this weekend and aim to replicate last year’s thrilling seven-point Derby win over the Swans, which coincidentally was a 50-game milestone for beloved teammate Georgia ‘GG’ Garnett.
“I think you can ask anyone [in the club’s AFLW team], the charcoal is definitely everyone's favourite jersey to play in.
“And I just think back to last year’s Swans game, with us wearing the charcoal, ‘GG’s [Garnett’s] 50th game. I think that milestone games are something that we really do get up and about for.
“So hopefully we can just bring all the vibes up and it’ll be an awesome time.”
Reflecting further on her journey so far ahead of her milestone game, Pease says she’s seeing firsthand the incredible evolution of AFLW and women’s footy more broadly.
“Seeing how much footy is growing, not just in Canberra but also in AFLW, it's just really cool to be a part of.
“I think you can just see the speed, the skill, the tackle pressure - everything has just increased so much.
“You're having girls now that are getting drafted who have played their whole childhood playing footy.
“So, I think being able to see all the draftees come through and how much skill and stuff they've already got [is amazing].
Pease says the competition is just scratching the surface of what it’s going to become.
“I think you'll just see it continue to become more skilful. The speed of the game will get even quicker, and you see girls already taking some crazy marks, kicking some crazy goals, but I think it's just going to just keep expanding from there.
“Especially with all the new young talent coming through as well. You see it every year, all the new fresh faces coming in.
“It's really exciting with just how much it's growing and how much it will continue to grow as well.”
With the GIANTS and the Swans splitting the four Sydney Derbies 2-2 to date, and an average winning margin of just five points separating the sides across three of the last four clashes, Sunday’s Sydney Derby V is sure to be must-watch.
Sydney Derby V will get under way at 2:35pm on Sunday at Henson Park in Marrickville.
