Teagan Germech gains spot in Greater Western Sydney Giants' AFLW squad for 2023 season

The former Bathurst Giant will find herself in familiar black and orange colours once again but this time it will be as part of the Greater Western Sydney Giants team.

The opportunity for Germech comes at the expense of clubmate Tait Mackrill, who has been ruled out for the entirety of the upcoming 2023 campaign due to a left knee stress fracture.

It's a cruel blow for Mackrill who had also missed the majority of the previous season with a left foot fracture.

Germech said that while the circumstances that have promoted her to the Giants team are unfortunate she's pleased to see her hard work paying off.

"Obviously it's awful for Tait, who was so selfless to take the time that she needed to, and I'm incredibly grateful to be given this opportunity," she said.

"I definitely wasn't expecting it this year. I thought that maybe there was a chance towards the end of the year or even in the next few years. I'm so incredibly lucky.

"I've been working hard for a few years. I think if I was to have been drafted a few years ago I don't think I would have been physically or mentally ready.

"This is the most ready I've ever been and I'm really thankful for the journey."

Germech took to the sport quickly and soon found herself named the player of the grand final in the Bathurst Giants' 2019 AFL Central West youth girls premiership season.

Her next big break in the sport came back in 2021 when she was named in the Eastern Allies team to play at the Under 19s AFL Women's National Championships, and just several months later was named in the inaugural GWS Giants Women's Under 19s Academy.

Germech, who has based herself in Canberra over the past two years, has previously enjoyed match time with the Belconnen Magpies in the ACT and the East Coast Eagles in Sydney while being a part of the academy.

"As soon as I made the Giants Academy it felt real to me that women could play AFLW," Germech said.

"At that point I thought 'Wow, maybe I could actually do this'. Going through those pathways was when it became a reality for me.

"I wouldn't be where I am today without the Bathurst Giants. Steve and Molly Mann were the ones who got me into AFL and I'll be forever thankful to them for that. The Giants family are all amazing people who helped teach me the game."

It will be an exciting step for Germech not only to make the Giants team but to potentially make a positional change for the season ahead.

Giants AFLW List Manager, Tyson Bourke, indicated that Germech "may even play a bit in the ruck" as she transitions from the defence into the midfield.

"I think I'll be the smallest ruck in the comp," Germech laughed.

"I don't think I'll be a typical ruck, and expect I'll be there as a fourth midfielder, but I'm super excited as well. I used to ruck for the Bathurst Giants, so it's not new to me, but it'll be a big step up playing junior footy in the ruck to doing it here."

Germech has proven herself as a standout sporting talent across many fields.

Back in April Germech finished runner-up in the MVP voting during New South Wales' gold medal performance at the Australian Men's and Mixed Netball Association (AMMNA) National Championships.

Germech said it will be tough to step away from a sport she loves but she's excited for what lies ahead.

"I actually took a couple of years off netball because I was focusing on AFL but I happened to just be in the right place at the right time for the mixed netball trials," she said.

"AFL is definitely my first sport, and I've had to give up my netball. I was playing for Panthers premier league before. It's a bit sad but for something I've been working towards for many years I would always choose my AFL."

The eighth season of AFLW is set to begin in the first weekend of September.

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