Our Journalists

Jon RitsonSenior Sport Producer

Jon Ritson is a sports news producer specialising in football (soccer). He has more than a decade’s experience covering the English Football League and the A-League.

@JGRitson

Jon Ritson

Latest

Sydney

Swans’ battlefield reality check

The Sydney Swans got a sombre reminder that missing the finals was far from a matter of life or death after meeting a former army commando who lost his best friend on the battlefield.

AFL News

Lance Franklin returns early to training to do some post injury running at the Sydney Swans first pre season training session for 2-6 year players. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Buddy’s surprise pre-season move

Sydney’s coaches weren’t expecting Lance Franklin to be there on day one of 2020 pre-season training. And he wasn’t the only big name back as several clubs hit the track to begin the countdown to Round 1. SEE THE PICTURES

GWS

AFL - Grand Final - Adelaide Crows v Richmond Tigers at the MCG. Sam Jacobs watches medal presentation. Picture Sarah Reed

Jacobs: Horror Grand Final driving Giants

Sam Jacobs knows what it’s like to lose a Grand Final — he went through it in 2017 with Adelaide and the Crows haven’t been the same since. He says that won’t happen at GWS. Here’s why.

AFL News

Giants Tim Taranto during the AFL Grand Final between the GWS Giants and Richmond Tigers at the MCG on September 28, 2019 in Melbourne. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Taranto pips Jezza for Giants’ top gong

AFL grand final day was a miserable day for GWS, but last night it had a silver lining for one young Giant who came from behind to claim his first Kevin Sheedy Medal.

GWS

Giants Jonathon Patton celebrates kicking a goal during AFL Semi Final match between the GWS Giants and West Coast Eagles at Spotless Stadium. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Why Patton needed a fresh start

Jon Patton will be out to reignite his AFL career with Hawthorn next year after being squeezed out of GWS’ forward line by Coleman medallist Jeremy Cameron, Harry Himmelberg and Jeremy Finlayson.

AFL News

Kieran Jack tackles Tomas Bugg during GWS Giants v Sydney Swans AFL game at ANZ Stadium in Homebush, Sydney, the first senior match for GWS.

‘Goosebumps’: Original Giants share grand day

Tommy Bugg takes enormous pride in being Giant 001 but one of the club’s originals insists endless numbers with orange and charcoal running through their veins played a big part in the grand final dream.

GWS

(L-R) GWS Giants players Ian ÒBobbyÓ Hill, Jeremy Finlayson and Zac Williams pose for a photograph in the club's indigenous jumper, ahead of Indigenous Round, in Sydney, Tuesday, May 28, 2019. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Giants ‘brothers’ share unbreakable bond

Zac Williams, Bobby Hill and Jeremy Finlayson are teammates, but they call each other brothers. And Hill has no doubt his mentor and housemate Williams will shine on the biggest stage.

GWS

2019 AFL First Preliminary Final at the MCG. Collingwood Magpies v Greater Western Sydney Giants at the MCG. Jeremy Finlayson of the Giants celebrates a goal. Picture: Mark Stewart

Never Surrender: Mantra driving Giants to success

GWS forward Jeremy Finlayson reveals the mantra that has launched the Giants into the Grand Final and the emotional moment he realised exactly what it means to be playing in the premiership decider.

GWS

Portrait of GWS Giants player Josh Kelly ahead of this weeks AFL Grand Final where the Giants will play Richmond at the SCG. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Kelly’s huge contract call vindicated

Josh Kelly shunned significant Victorian interest to stay at GWS earlier this year, a call which has already been vindicated by the club’s progression to a maiden grand final.

GWS

AFL. First Preliminary Final. 21/09/2019. Collingwood v GWS Giants at the MCG. Nick Haynes of the Giants celebrates after the final siren . Pic: Michael Klein.

Giants doco just needs Hollywood ending

Star GWS defender Nick Haynes has swapped a Sherrin for a camera this year to document the rise of the AFL club. All it needs is a title — and a dramatic final act.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/journalists/jon-ritson/page/5