AFL

Giants' fearless debutant readies for AFL heavyweights

By Sebastian Tan

Jul 3, 2026

Riley Hamilton will make his AFL debut for GWS when the Giants take on the ladder-leading Dockers. -PR IMAGE

GWS aren't putting any pressure on themselves as they prepare to face AFL premiership contenders Fremantle.

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Instead, the 14th-placed Giants are planning to use their underdog status to help them end the ladder leaders' hopes of creating more history.

Without a plethora of their stars, the Giants face an uphill battle to end a three-game losing streak at Manuka Oval in Canberra on Saturday.

The high-flying Dockers are surging towards a first minor premiership in 11 years, but are also on course to eclipse the 20-game consecutive win record achieved by Essendon in 2000.

Currently on 14 straight wins, the Dockers (14-1) have laid the platform to reach the milestone, but the Giants' 19-year-old debutant Riley Hamilton is out to make his special occasion even sweeter.

"It probably means more to us to just knock them off and get our season back on track than snapping their streak, but if it's there, we're happy to take it," a grinning Hamilton told AAP.

"An underdog mentality is huge for us. We just come out here with no pressure on our shoulders, no one thinks we're going to win, but we've come here to just play with freedom."

GWS (6-9 win-loss record) are looking to reignite their campaign and push for the top 10 after a period of inconsistency.

It will be a full-circle moment for Hamilton, who grew up in the nation's capital, where he played for the Ainslie Tricolours, just a short drive across the lake.

The forward is planning to have about 150 of his family and friends spurring him on, but he knows his dad's words of wisdom will help him most on Saturday.

"My dad's very inspirational to me, and he told me to just go out there, have fun and just really take it all in at once," Hamilton said.

"Trent Dennis-Lane, my forwards coach, said 'Just don't go out there expecting too much - go out there and do what you've done in the VFL and just stick to playing your role'."

GWS will be without Phoenix Gothard (managed), Leek Aleer (managed), Max Gruzewski (patella dislocation) and Brent Daniels (calf), meaning midfielder Jack Ough is also primed for a debut, while Harry Rowston and Joey Delana return to the side.

Fremantle are unchanged after a rousing 51-point demolition of Gold Coast last Sunday.