Photos: The NSW, ACT players making a mark for Sydney Swans, GWS Giants at Summer Series

It was wet and wild thanks to some crazy weather but a number of AFLW hopefuls still made a mark in the new Summer Series. Some of the stars and standouts from week one. Great PHOTOS.

Swans White and the GIANTS Orange teams playing in round one. Pics: Merrillie Redden Photography/Supplied

There were downpours, breaks of sunshine and then more rain as the best talent - young and older - hit the paddock in the inaugural Summer Series for AFLW hopefuls.

Giants teams, predominantly made up of players from western Sydney, the south coast, the ACT and central west, dominated both matches against Swans sides.

The competition is putting around 120 players in the spotlight in a giant talent ID search to expand and strengthen NSW and ACT AFL’s pool of players.

The Swans White team playing GIANTS Orange in round one. Pics: Merrillie Redden Photography/Supplied

Giants Head of Academies Jason Saddington said he was impressed by the standard and a number of players in his two sides in the Saturday matches.

“The standard was fantastic to be honest,” Saddington said.

“Considering they are coming off four weeks of training and some haven’t played a game for five to six months due to Covid, the standard was terrific.

“In the weather conditions we got the skill level remained high.”

Conditions were tough in the two matches played.Pics: Merrillie Redden Photography/Supplied

GIANTS STANDOUTS FROM WEEK ONE OF SUMMER SERIES

Saddington said there were a number of players who stood up on the opening weekend of the new competition.

“From a Giants perspective we had a couple of our AFLW girls who weren’t playing in Georgia Garnett, Tait Mackrill, Georgina Fowler, Brodee Mowbray and Casidhe Simmons,’’ he said.

“From the community side there was Eilish Sherrie from the Inner West Magpies and from Orange, central west footballer Erin Naden performed. We haven’t seen a lot of girls from out the central west. Traditionally the talent comes out of the Sydney and ACT comps.

The Giants won both matches played on the weekend. Pics: Merrillie Redden Photography/Supplied

“Kiarna Woolley-Blain kicked four goals. That was it was a terrific performance

“Erin Herron from Ainslie was also very good.

“And from the young academy girl there was Grace Painting, a local western Sydney girl who looked skilful against older women and held her own.

Saddington said Elanor Bishop and Aimee Frost from the Queanbeyan Tigers Canberra were also standouts.

SUMMER SERIES WEEK ONE RESULTS

Giants Orange 8-17-65

Swans White 1-0-6

Giants Charcoal 10-10-70

Swans Red 0-1-1

Players at the tournament have the chance to be drafted into the Giants and Swans. Pics: Merrillie Redden Photography/Supplied

SWANS STANDOUTS FROM WEEK ONE OF SUMMER SERIES

Kate Mahony, the Sydney Swans executive general manager AFLW, said it was an important weekend for players hoping to one day put on a Swans jersey.

“For our girls it was their first look at what it takes to play at the elite level,’’ she said.

“There is a lot of learning coming out of it, some positive things about how they develop in their game.’’

Mahony said the Swans are hoping to bolster their ranks with players who shine in the summer series.

“We are absolutely looking for some of these girls to be in our AFLW squad,” she said.

Mahony identified a number of players who stepped up in around one, including

Maddy Hendrie (UNSW-ES Bulldogs), Ella Morris (Pennant Hills Demons) and Ella Heads (Inner West Magpies)

“London Ashcroft (Newcastle City) was fantastic, Taylah Canobie (Killarney Vale) was good as well’’ she said.

There is plenty to play for in the Summer Series. Pics: Merrillie Redden Photography/Supplied

100 PLUS AFLW SWANS AND GIANTS HOPEFULS IN SPOTLIGHT

FEBRUARY 11: They search for Sydney Swans and GWS Giants AFLW players of the future kicks up a notch this weekend via a statewide women’s talent search in Sydney.

Players from across NSW and the ACT have been divied up into four teams with the opening round of the women’s Summer Series to be played on Saturday at Sydney Olympic Park.

The AFL Sapphire Coast, AFL South Coast, AFL Riverina, AFL Canberra, AFL Central West, AFL Broken Hill, AFL Sydney, AFL Hunter Central Coast, AFL North Coast and AFL North West will all have players in the tournament.

The tournament, being played over four weeks, will be particularly crucial for the Sydney Swans who are preparing to enter a team in the AFLW for the first time next season.

The Swans recently named Scott Gowans as their coach. He lead North Melbourne’s first AFLW side and the team to 11 wins from 14 games in 2019-2020.

The Giants have been represented in the AFLW since it began.

SUMMER SERIES PLAYERS TO WATCH

Giants gun Alicia Eva tackled by Amanda Ling of the Bulldogs during the 2022 AFLW round four match.

In all, 120 players will be spread across two teams representing the Giants and two teams representing the Swans.

Newcastle City is the most represented club with eight players ready to test their mettle in the Swans Red team who play their first match on February 20.

There are also six players from the Cardiff club in a big showing for players from the AFL Hunter Central Coast area.

Five players will represent from the Manly Warringah in the Swans White team with the UNSW-ES Bulldogs sporting six players on the same team sheet while Southern Power has five members.

There are six Ainslie Tricolours and four Queanbeyan Tigers in the Giants Charcoal squad.

Six East Coast Eagles and Inner West Magpies players have made the Giants Orange side along with four North Shore Bombers.

SWANS RED TEAM FOR SUMMER SERIES

AFL Sydney

Bella Gray Sydney University

AFL North Coast

April Devine Coffs Harbour Breakers, Brianna McFarlane Coffs Harbour Breakers, Cassidy Ronalds Coffs Harbour Breakers, Lilli Moody Sawtell Toormina Saints

AFL North West

Alice Mitchell Gunnedah Bulldogs, Gabby Mooney Inverell Saints

AFL Hunter Central Coast

Tayla Kennedy Cardiff, Eliza Schramm Cardiff, Nelita Sherrin-Bob Cardiff, Beth Martini Cardiff, Clare Cummings Cardiff, Hayley Hawkins Cardiff, Jayda Kennedy The Entrance Bateau Bay, Jocelyn Kelleher Killarney Vale, Taylah Canobie Killarney Vale, Emily Crookes Killarney Vale, Taylah Canobie Killarney Vale, London Ashcroft Newcastle City, Brooklyn Perry Newcastle City, Marnie Robinson Newcastle City, Roisin Ronan Yates Newcastle City, Molly Simpson Newcastle City, Willow Smith Newcastle City, Asha Turner-Funk Newcastle City, Taylor Joyce Newcastle City, Kyah McBride Singleton, Peggy Enders Terrigal Avoca, Paris Crelley Warners Bay, Rebecca Ives Wyong Lakes

Katherine Smith, Nicola Barr and Lisa Steane of the Giants celebrate during the 2022 AFLW.

SWANS WHITE TEAM FOR SUMMER SERIES

AFL Sydney

Summer Hall East Coast Eagles, Jamye Saggers Forest Lions Juniors, Freya Taylor Inner West Magpies, Western Suburbs Juniors, Ella Heads Inner West Magpies, Western Suburbs Juniors, Madeline Convery Inner West Magpies, Western Suburbs Juniors, Hannah Cerezo Macquarie University, St Ives Juniors, Abbie Lewis Macquarie University, North Ryde Dockers, Rox Beuzeville Manly Warringah Wolves, Forest Lions Juniors, Olivia Cameron Manly Warringah Wolves, Manly Bombers Juniors, Ocean Pounsett Manly Warringah Wolves, Forest Lions Juniors, Hannah Woolf Manly Warringah Wolves, Forest Lions Juniors, Kahli Gilchrist Manly Warringah Wolves, Pittwater Tigers Juniors, Lucy Forrest North Shore Bombers, Queenwood Juniors, Eloise Morgan North Shore Bombers, Willoughby Juniors, Ella Morris Pennant Hills Demons, Pennant Hills Juniors, Emily Eaves Southern Power, Southern Power Juniors, Sarah Hepinstall Southern Power, Southern Power Juniors, Kyla Trace Southern Power, Southern Power Juniors, Jemima Wrigley Southern Power, Southern Power Juniors, Ruby Sargent-Wilson Southern Power, Southern Power Juniors, Alexandra Davison UNSW-ES Bulldogs, Maroubra Saints Juniors, Senna Gulden UNSW-ES Bulldogs, Maroubra Saints Juniors, Madd Hendrie UNSW-ES Bulldogs, East Sydney Juniors, Nellie Hicks UNSW-ES Bulldogs, Kiama Juniors, Madd Kohlrush UNSW-ES Bulldogs, Maroubra Saints Juniors, Paris Tier UNSW-ES Bulldogs, Maroubra Saints Juniors, Gabriella Stanwix UTS AFC Bats, Drummoyne Juniors

AFL South Coast

Sophie Phillips Bomaderry Tigers, Aimee Barnard Kiama Power, Dakota Mason Kiama Power

Rani Sossai Wollongong Lions.

Interest in AFLW is growing in Sydney.

GIANTS CHARCOAL TEAM FOR SUMMER SERIES

AFL Canberra

Jacqueline Spence Belconnen Magpies, Jamie Clayden Ainslie Tricolours, Georgia Clayden Ainslie Tricolours, Mikelli Garratt Ainslie Tricolours, Elanor Bishop Ainslie Tricolours, Tess Cattle Ainslie Tricolours, Georgie Jacques Ainslie Tricolours, Grace Read Belconnen Magpies

Teagan Germech Belconnen Magpies, Cambridge McCormick Eastlake FC, Julia Bassett Eastlake FC, Samantha Rubino Gungahlin Jets, Jessica Workman Gungahlin Jets, Kate Greenacre Tuggeranong Valley AFC, Kiarna Woolley-Blain Tuggeranong Valley AFC, Kaitlin Dobing Tuggeranong Valley AFC, Amy Frost Queanbeyan Tigers, Cynthia Hamilton Queanbeyan Tigers, Anita Manning Queanbeyan Tigers, Kate Woodward Queanbeyan Tigers

Southern NSW Women’s

Emily Newton Collingulle GP Demons, India Lehman Leeton Whitton Crows, Zarli Goldsworthy Lavington Panthers, Mindy Quade East Wagga Kooringal, Sally Scott East Wagga Kooringal, Jayde Hamilton Queanbeyan Tigers, Skye Davey North Wagga Saints, Jordan Barrett North Wagga Saints, Zara Hamilton Wagga Tigers

AFL Broken Hill

Macy Edgecumbe South Broken Hill

AFL Sapphire Coast

Jorja Moore Bermagui Breakers, Samantha Crowley Tathra Sea-Eagles, Cymmon Parker Tathra Sea-Eagles

AFL Sydney

Ellie Herron Pennant Hills Demons

Other

Millie Gentle Glenelg (SA). Olivia Cicollini Murray Bushrangers Caitlin Reid Wodonga Raiders

GIANTS ORANGE TEAM FOR SUMMER SERIES

AFL Sydney

Grace Painting Baulkham Hills Hawks Juniors, Jaimee Kitchener Camden Juniors, Amelia Bennett East Coast Eagles/Baulkham Hills Hawks Juniors, Bryany Parker East Coast Eagles

Emma Scriven East Coast Eagles, Emily Hurley East Coast Eagles/Kellyville Rouse Hill Magpies Juniors, Chloe Arndt East Coast Eagles/Kellyville, Rouse Hill Magpies Juniors

Rylee McGartland East Coast Eagles. Renee Tomkins East Coast Eagles. Hannah Mathews Inner West Magpies/Western Suburbs Juniors, Tanya Kennedy Inner West Magpies Eilish Sheerin Inner West Magpies, Lael Kassem Inner West Magpies, Gillian Behan Inner West Magpies, Jas Smith Inner West Magpies, Eleri Morris, Inner West Magpies/Northern Districts Juniors (Illawarra), Dom Carathers North Shore Bombers, Georgia Walker North Shore Bombers, Zoe Hurrell North Shore Bombers/Mosman Juniors, Olivia Edwards North Shore Bombers/Mosman Juniors, Cassie Brown Parramatta Goannas/Southwest Tigers Juniors, Madison Fleming Pennant Hills Demons/Westbrook Bulldogs Juniors, Brielle Daines Penrith Rams/Penrith.

GIANTS Juniors

Kiahna Davis-White Southern Power/Bankstown Bullsharks Juniors, Jessica Whelan Southern Power/Camden Juniors, Kristyn Baker Southwest Sydney Blues/Southwest Tigers Juniors, Savali Tapugao Southwest Sydney Blues/Bankstown Bullsharks Juniors, Rachel Simpson Southwest Sydney Blues/Bankstown Bullsharks Juniors

AFL Hunter Central Coast

Sarah Halvorson Newcastle City Blues

AFL Central West

Erin Naden Orange Tigers, Elly Rudd Bathurst Bushrangers / Bathurst Bushrangers Juniors.

SUMMER SERIES CALENDAR

Saturday 12 Feb – Tom Wills Oval, Sydney Olympic Park

Swans White (Sydney) vs. GIANTS Orange (Sydney) at 12pm

GIANTS Charcoal (ACT/SNSW) vs. Swans Red (HCC/NNSW) at 2pm

Sunday 20 Feb – Blacktown International Sports Park

GIANTS Charcoal (ACT/SNSW) vs. GIANTS Orange (Sydney) at 12pm

Swans White (Sydney) vs. Swans Red (HCC/NNSW) 2pm

Saturday 5 March or Sunday 6 March (TBA) – Blacktown International Sportspark

GIANTS Charcoal (ACT/SNSW) vs Swans White (Sydney) at 12pm

Swans Red (HCC/NNSW) vs GIANTS Orange (Sydney) at 2pm

FINALS

March 13: Picken Oval, Croydon Park

3rd vs 4th at 12pm

1st vs 2nd at 2pm

Originally published as Photos: The NSW, ACT players making a mark for Sydney Swans, GWS Giants at Summer Series