Hannah Dunn gets late call up to the Giants

Hannah Dunn and Ella Ross getting ready for the history-making first GWS Giants game in the AFL Women’s competition

In what is absolutely fantastic news on the weekend of the inaugural AFL Women’s season, Hannah Dunn is a late inclusion for the GWS Giants AFL Women’s team and will play in the history-making first AFL Women’s round 1 against Adelaide.

Hannah joins Tigerettes team-mate Ella Ross who has also been selected in the first ever team after being drafted in late 2016.

Hannah was unlucky to miss out in the AFL Women’s draft last year but was asked to train with the Giants through the pre-season as a “train-on” player, similar to the Rookie list for the men’s AFL teams.

Taking this opportunity in both hands, Hannah has impressed in pre-season trial games, initially earning herself the opportunity to travel with the team to Adelaide to fill an emergency spot when the initial squad was announced earlier in the week. This achievement itself was an excellent reward for perseverance and hard work, but has now been overshadowed by her elevation into the team where she will don the orange and charcoal #24 jumper and play in the game.

The Tigerettes were formed in 2010. Hannah was a very young member of the inaugural Tigerettes team and is one of just three players who remain from that first year.  Still only 25 years old, Hannah has already built an impressive football resume. She is captain of the Tigerettes; is a three-time premiership player; was the Jill Bright Medalist in 2011 as the Tigerettes Best and Fairest; is a regular award winner at the annual presentation night; is a regular ACT representative; and has represented a combined NSW/ACT women’s team.

Until now Hannah’s highest personal achievement probably came in 2016 when she became the first woman to play 100 games for the Tigerettes and was the first women inducted as a full playing member of the Tigers prestigious 100 Club.

All at the Tigers wish both Hannah and Ella the best of luck in the first game, and the remaining games of the season.

The first Giants women’s game will be played at Thebarton Oval in Adelaide on Saturday, 4 February. It starts at 4.30pm Adelaide time (5.00pm Queanbeyan time) and will be broadcast live on Fox Sports. It’s also available free to Telstra customers through the AFL Live app.