GWS Giants set to debut four players in AFLW Round 1 clash against Brisbane in Moreton Bay

If the women beat the men to the Giants’ first competition flag then the club’s AFLW head coach Alan McConnell will be all smiles, one half of his twin mission accomplished.

Haneen Zreika trains in the Giants gym.

If the women beat the men to the Giants’ first competition flag then the club’s AFLW head coach Alan McConnell will be all smiles – one half of his twin missions accomplished.

Also the club’s director of coaching (and inaugural club employee) McConnell is passionate about the Giants and nothing would delight him more than helping secure success on two fronts.

The Giants AFLW side begin their quest for 2019 glory away to Brisbane Lions on Sunday with four players set for the debuts — Alyce Parker, Yvonne Bonner, Haneen Zreika and Christina Bernardi.

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Confidence in the camp is high ahead of the first match of the campaign and with the club’s chances being talked up in numerous quarters, that’s not something coach McConnell wants his players to shrink away from.

“I’ve read a few things over the last few days around where we’re at,” he said.

“To be honest, if we go back 12 or 18 months we’ve got a group of girls many of them were told they weren’t good enough to play in the competition. I think when you play any sport and when you want to play at the highest level you play for credibility and to be respected for what you can do.

Haneen Zreika will make her AFLW debut on Sunday.

“To be honest I think it’s absolutely amazing that people think that we might be a genuine bona fide team in the competition.

“So I’m hoping that our girls are basking in that to be honest because that’s actually why we play. I hope they’re embracing the fact that people think that they’re a bona fide team in the competition.

“But the truth is it’s about what happens next that matters most. Respect is hard to earn and it’s pretty easily lost so we’ll see what comes on the weekend.

“The key is to back it up with a performance.”

McConnell knows Sunday’s opener presents a tough challenge for his side. The teams met in a warm-up game recently but the Giants coach isn’t reading too much into that.

“It was encouraging last weekend but that said I think both teams played a number of different players in different positions. I’m sure it’ll be a tough contest on the weekend.

GWS coach Alan McConnell and No.12 draft pick Alyce Parker.

“Brisbane are by far the best defensive team in the competition over the history of the game.”

As for the new faces, McConnell is excited to see what midfielder Parker can bring to the side.

“We’ve got very high hopes for Alyce,” he said.

“We think she’s going to be as very good player for us for a very long time.

“She’s very good around the contest and the ability to turn on her left foot I think is always an advantage for players.”

And looking further down the track, McConnell sees hugely positive signs for the club.

“We’ve also had girls from the NAB Academy train with us over the summer and I’ve been blown away by the quality of the girls, both that we’ve added to our list, but also the ones that are coming,” he said. “The girls that trained with us on and off over the pre-season really indicate that the pathway is doing some great stuff in terms of what’s coming in the future.”

And as for the race for the flag, he adds: “I don’t care who gets their first as long as we both get there and I get two trophies.”

Originally published as GWS Giants set to debut four players in AFLW Round 1 clash against Brisbane in Moreton Bay