Tasmanian James Leake ready to earn his debut and make a name for himself in Western Sydney

GWS are looking towards the next generation and Tasmanian James Leake is eager to break into the side. Plus the young Giant touches on his future — with the Devils entering the AFL in 2028.

The Giants’ young brigade are ready to make their mark on the competition with James Leake among a handful of players aiming to debut in the AFL in 2025.

Following the departure of four key Giants in Isaac Cumming, Harry Perryman, James Peatling and Nick Haynes this off-season, there is a general awareness around the squad that there are places up for grabs.

Leake, who was taken with pick 17 of the 2023 draft, is one of the players primed to fill the void. After being plagued by a persistent quad injury throughout the first half of last year, he eventually put together a solid back-half of the season in the VFL.

He’s one of several impressive players aged 21 and under at the club, and the 19-year-old knows that he has to find a way to stand out as quickly as possible.

Leake was one of the standouts in the Giants’ first match simulation of pre-season. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“It’s not how I envisioned the start of my career,” Leake reflected. “I was hoping to come in and obviously play and make an impact quite early on. I think it makes me more grateful for the opportunity when my body is fit.

“It’s just been really nice so far this year to be able to put together a few months of pre-season. I took a lot of confidence from that late patch in the VFL – I got eight games in the end – and hopefully, I can build on that this year.

“We lost a few key players throughout the off-season and the exciting thing is the opportunity it creates for young players like myself, Joe Fonti, Phoenix Gothard. Now, we’ve got to go earn our position in the team.

“There are positions up for grabs, but they’re not going to hand themselves out. 100 per cent (I want to debut). That’s why we do it. But it’s about making sure I’m getting better every day. I’m nowhere near the finished product.”

Leake showcased glimpses of his talent in the VFL as he played as a dashing, rebounding defender. Often playing off the halfback line, he averaged 14.3 disposals and six tackles as a game and was one of their best performers towards the end of the season.

The teenager has been working tirelessly to adjust to his new role in the midfield. Picture: Phil Hillyard

However, given his reputation throughout junior footy as a versatile player, Adam Kingsley has opted to change his role in 2025. The Tasmanian has been turned into an out-and-out midfielder, playing around the stoppages and even contesting against Tom Green during their recent match simulation.

It’s a sign of the trust the club has in Leake long-term to play him in that position so early, and it’s a vote of confidence he’s not planning to waste.

“In my under 18s and juniors I played lots of backline and that was a position I was comfortable in,” Leake said. “Then this year, there’s a big shift going into midfield which I’m really excited about.

“I’ve got a fair bit of work to do on the midfield craft, but I’m just using all the tools to push me forward. And I’ve got dudes like Tom Green, Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio who are helping me pick up everything as quickly as possible.

“Midfield was a little bit foreign to me, but I’m picking different parts of people’s game. That’s the really good thing about coming into a club in a strong position, there’s so many good players to learn from.

“But I’m also just using my strengths, which I think is how clean I am at ground level, I’m competitive and then nice and composed with the ball in hand. That’s what I’m looking to bring this year in the midfield.”

The Tasmanian wants to grab his opportunity at the Giants with both hands. Picture: Phil Hillyard

As one of a handful of young Tasmanian players in the competition, naturally, speculation will mount about Leake potentially returning home to link up with the Devils in 2028. That talk will only intensify if he doesn’t break into the Giants’ side this season.

But there’s a sense of determination from Leake that he wants to make a name for himself in Western Sydney. And while he’s off-contract at the end of 2026, he’s hoping to be around a lot longer than that.

“When I got drafted to Sydney, I was pretty pumped to come and move away and start my own career in an amazing part of the world,” Leake said.

“As a kid growing up, I always knew I was going to have to move away if I wanted to play high-level football.

“If we can tone the weather down a bit, that’d be handy, but I’m very fortunate that I’ve ended up in Sydney and I’d love nothing more than to have a successful career here at the Giants.”

Originally published as Tasmanian James Leake ready to earn his debut and make a name for himself in Western Sydney