Where are the players from GWS Giants’ inaugural AFL team now?
Five players from the inaugural GWS side will vie for the club’s first premiership on Saturday. But what happened to the other players who featured in the inaugural Giants team?
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Eight years after they were outgunned by Sydney in their debut AFL match, GWS Giants have earned their first shot at footy’s ultimate prize.
Five members of the Giants’ inaugural side — which lost by 63 points to their cross-town rivals in Round 1, 2012 — have been named in GWS’ team for Saturday’s grand final against Richmond.
Jeremy Cameron, Phil Davis, Toby Greene, Adam Kennedy and Adam Tomlinson featured in that game, alongside currently injured duo Callan Ward and Stephen Coniglio.
It represented the first small steps into uncharted territory for the AFL in an experiment which would take several years to show signs of progress.
Here’s what has since happened to the first Giants team:
Tom Bugg — was traded to Melbourne in 2016 and then headed to Carlton but retired without playing a game due to business interests.
Jeremy Cameron — the first Coleman medallist in GWS history this season.
Stephen Coniglio — Injured star who has been ruled out of grand final. Recently signed a seven-year deal to stay at GWS.
Chad Cornes — Now an assistant coach at Port Adelaide after filling a similar role at GWS. He has also led Port in the SANFL.
Phil Davis — Current co-captain and defensive linchpin.
Israel Folau — Was sacked by Rugby Australia in May. Vying to return to international rugby league with Tonga.
Jon Giles — Finished his AFL career with West Coast in 2017, retiring due to a degenerative knee injury. He was a senior ruck coach at the Eagles until October last year and is working as a project engineer.
Toby Greene — The fiery forward-cum-midfielder is still with the Giants and will return from a one-game ban on Saturday.
Curtly Hampton — The half-back flanker was traded to Adelaide ahead of the 2016 season but struggled with injury and retired last year.
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Jack Hombsch — Spent one year with GWS before being traded to Port Adelaide. He played 89 games for the Power and has just finished his debut season with Gold Coast.
Will Hoskin-Elliott — The No. 4 draft pick from 2011 played 52 games for the Giants before switching to Collingwood after the 2016 campaign. He has 79 goals in three seasons for the Magpies.
Adam Kennedy — The small defender will be part of the grand final side after reaffirming himself as a senior regular this year.
James McDonald — A playing assistant coach at GWS in 2012, the ex-Melbourne skipper was an assistant coach with the Giants after his playing career ended before pursuing a career in agribusiness. He was coach of VAFA club Old Xaverians in 2017 and 2018.
Tim Mohr — The key defender plucked from the VFL was with GWS until the end of 2018, when he crossed to Hawthorn via the rookie draft. A knee injury in a VFL practice match ruined his debut season with the Hawks.
Rhys Palmer — The Rising Star winner revealed plans to return to football via the WAFL while recovering from a horror motorcycle crash earlier this year. Palmer, whose AFL career finished at Carlton, was keen to play for Swan Districts in 2020.
Dylan Shiel — Essendon parted with two first-round picks to land the on-baller on a six-year deal last year. GWS nabbed Jye Caldwell with the early pick it acquired last year.
Devon Smith — A knee injury limited him the now Essendon midfielder to seven games this year. He was traded to the Bombers at the end of 2017 and won their best and fairest last season. GWS gained pick 11 and traded two second-round picks to Essendon in the Smith deal, using the pick on Aidan Bonar.
Adam Tomlinson — One of the inaugural Giants still at the club, although the athletic utility is expected to seek a trade to Melbourne after the grand final. Tomlinson had played 80 of a possible 81 games before he was axed for the elimination final.
Jacob Townsend — Richmond premiership bolter Townsend was brought to Punt Road for his midfield grunt in a deal for pick 70. He was used as a pressure forward with great effect late in the Tigers’ ball-winning campaign but hasn’t featured often this year and won’t be in Richmond’s grand final team.
Dom Tyson — The inside midfielder was traded to Melbourne in 2013 in a deal which netted GWS pick no.2. The Giants would use that selection to nab Josh Kelly. GWS gave pick No. 9 to the Demons, while a late exchange of picks also took place. Tyson spent his first season at North Melbourne in 2019 after being traded for Braydon Preuss.
Callan Ward — The GWS co-captain returned from injury in Round 4 this year, only to go down with an ACL tear. He has been the heartbeat of GWS since crossing from Western Bulldogs and has amassed 217 career games.
Nathan Wilson — The dashing half-back flanker left GWS at the end of 2017 to join Fremantle. The Giants got a second-round pick and climbed 14 spots in the draft via a later swap. Wilson played 77 games for GWS in six seasons.
Other notable 2012 GWS debuts:
Luke Power — Round 2
Adam Treloar — Round 3
Sam Reid — Round 5
Setanta O’hAilpin — Round 6
Taylor Adams — Round 5
Josh Bruce — Round 5
Dean Brogan — Round 9
Nick Haynes — Round 10
Sam Frost — Round 17
Originally published as Where are the players from GWS Giants’ inaugural AFL team now?