Delisted #34 Nick Shipley (Pick 64, 2017 National Draft)

[kulak]

Welcome Nick Shipley! I might be more excited for this draftee than any other, what a story

The GIANTS selected local Western Sydney product Nick Shipley with pick 64 in the NAB AFL Draft.

Hailing from Campbelltown, the GIANTS Academy graduate is a tall, strong midfielder and a contested ball-winner.

Shipley excels at stoppages, has good vision and clean hands with terrific work-rate.

He was an excellent performer for the Allies in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.

He’s no stranger for the club and has played with the club’s Reserves side in the NEAFL consistently across the recent years.

http://www.gwsgiants.com.au/news/2017-11-24/pick-64-nick-shipley

 

[Giant Strides]

After the hype comes the hard work, but what a great story. This is exactly why the GWS Academy was set up - a local lad and a cross-code poaching. Has plenty to work with - a great combination of speed and endurance (AFL Combine top 10 results in 20-metre sprint & yo-yo test) and I think he's a smoky to develop into an AFL player with a long career (beyond his draft pick). Welcome to GWS as an AFL player, Nick, and look forward to seeing you develop over the next few years.

 

[captainMyCaptain]

 

[Determinant]

Bargain of the Century, well 7 years at GWS anyway

 

[Danny88]

Might have to bide his time a little to get a run in the big leagues but he looks like he has the goods

 

[Big Stinky Monk]

Western Sydney teen set to make history for the Giants

Teenager Nick Shipley will become the first western Sydney graduate of the Giants academy to play senior football for the club when he makes his AFL debut against Brisbane on Saturday.

Shipley, the 64th pick in last year's draft, is one of two ins for Greater Western Sydney, who have lost star forward Toby Greene to a foot injury.

The Campbelltown youngster grew up aspiring to be a professional footballer in the round ball code but will now be a posterboy for the league's push to grow the game in NRL heartland.

Two years later, while his passion for the world game was waning, he received an email from the head coach of the Giants academy Jason Saddington asking him to try out for the under 16 side.

"I fell in love with footy," Shipley said. "I knew there was a Swans team but in western Sydney AFL is not a big thing, it's NRL or soccer. I had no clue about it. I watched my first game when I joined the academy."

Shipley soon adopted a side but despite his roots in western Sydney and being a Giants academy boy he chose Fremantle because of Nat Fyfe. "That was his Brownlow year, he was unbelievable," Shipley said. "I wanted to be like him."

He now models his game on gun teammates Callan Ward and Stephen Coniglio, who, like Shipley, are both midfielders.

Shipley's rise to AFL ranks is a milestone moment for the Giants, whose introduction to the league came as part of head office's desire to expand the game into "foreign" markets. The 18-year-old recognises the significance of his debut not just for the club but for the impact it could have on youngsters in the region wanting to try a new game.

Nick Shipley is the first graduate from the Giants Academy from western Sydney

Photo: Dion Georgopoulos
"It means heaps to the Giants – they're a western Sydney club, they want to target the area," Shipley said. "Me taking up the game and being able to play this early would give them more hope. I started pretty late, if they can start form younger they can be even better."

Shipley's promotion won't hurt crowd numbers either. His mother asked the club for 50 tickets to the game. "I don't know if there are that many in the family," Shipley, whose mother hails from Peru, said. "My parents are happy for me. Mum and dad got a bit teary when I called them."

The Giants made one other change with forward Zac Langdon coming back from injury while ruckman Dawson Simpson has been left out.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/we...e-history-for-the-giants-20180426-p4zbu4.html

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

 

[Giant Strides]

I'm sad to see Nick delisted after 4 years in the squad. He will forever hold a special place in the history of GWS as the first Western Sydney draftee. However, he was always at long odds to be a long-term player, and will depart with just a few games at first grade. I wonder if we'll look at him for the VFL squad (assuming no other club grabs him, which I think would be unlikely)?

Thanks for your time and effort with the club, and all the best for the future.

GIANTS Make List Changes

The GIANTS have made two list changes.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

The GIANTS can confirm that Nick Shipley and Tom Hutchesson will not be offered contracts for 2022.

Shipley, 22, was the club’s first-ever Academy graduate from Western Sydney, joining the GIANTS list via pick 64 in the 2016 national draft. Hailing from Campbelltown, Shipley made his AFL debut in 2018 and played six senior games, including four this season.

GIANTS General Manager of Football Jason McCartney

Jason Mccartney

Age

50

Ht

191cm

Wt

95kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.7

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

3.5

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.8

3star

No current season stats available

D

10.0

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

0.6

3star

thanked the pair.

“Nick is a great example of someone who tried Australian football purely as a result of the existence of the GIANTS’ Academy in Western Sydney,” McCartney said. “He should be really proud of being the first AFL player to come out of the GIANTS’ Western Sydney Academy and what he’s achieved over the past five seasons.

“We wish both Nick and Tom well in their future endeavours.”