Traded #30 Matt Flynn (Pick 15, 2015 National Draft)

[captainMyCaptain]

Matt Flynn



Height: 200cm
Weight: 101kg
D/O/B: 13/9/1997
Position: Ruck

The GIANTS have secured developing ruckman Matt Flynn with pick 41 at the 2015 NAB AFL Draft in Adelaide. Melbourne bid on the 199cm mobile ruckman from Narrandera in southern NSW and the GIANTS matched the bid for the 18-year-old. Flynn is an aggressive and athletic big man who played five NEAFL games for the UWS GIANTS in 2015. Agile and courageous, Flynn can play at both ends of the ground, as well as in the ruck, and is known a dangerous marking forward. At 200cm and 101kg, Flynn is excellent below his knees for a player of his size and has shown plenty of ruck nous around stoppages. Flynn joined the PM Capital GIANTS Academy when he was 12. He’s from the same home town as fellow Academy graduate Zac Williams and is considered one of the best ruckmen in this year’s draft pool.

http://www.gwsgiants.com.au/news/2015-11-24/draft-pick-41-matthew-flynn#sthash.2OcArrGh.dpuf

"He's just a competitive beast. I first saw him playing under-16s and he was like a newborn foal back then, all arms and legs, head wobbling everywhere. His ruck work is second to none, he doesn't even really know what hand he is. He can take a contested mark and he's one of the best kids. He'd be the most competitive big man in the draft, by a long way. We talk about the big guys taking time, but he just wants to crash and bash."

- Tadhg Kennelly, NSW-ACT Rams coach

 

[OrangeDuck]

 

[Colonial]

http://m.gwsgiants.com.au/news/2015-11-24/draft-pick-41-matthew-flynn

 

[Colonial]

http://m.gwsgiants.com.au/video/2016-01-27/giants-strike-a-pose

 

[Determinant]

Claimed

 

[Determinant]

Around 2:25 it gets very Flynn

http://www.gwsgiants.com.au/video/2017-01-20/dean-brogan-gives-an-update-on-pre-season

 

[Determinant]

GWS Giants give Matt Flynn an opportunity at home in Saturday's JLT Community Series game in Narrandera
Peter Doherty
15 Feb 2017, 3:30 p.m.
http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/4470223/home-town-star/

HEADING HOME: Matt Flynn can't wait to be back on Narrandera Sportsground this Saturday when GWS Giants take on West Coast. Picture: Craig Abercrombie, GWS Giants

When Narrandera last hosted AFL pre-season games, Matt Flynn was just a boy, dreaming of what might lie ahead.

This Saturday, seven years on, he’ll run on to Narrandera Sportsground for his first senior appearance with Greater Western Sydney, against West Coast in the JLT Community Series match.

“I remember sitting up there after we helped with the renovations for the clubrooms and (former Narrandera coach) Jamie Grintell said, ‘One day you’ll be out on that ground and you’ll be able to tell everyone you helped build that’,” Flynn recalled to The Daily Advertiser.

“From all those years ago to now, it’s exciting, for sure.”

Flynn rang his parents early this week when he knew he would be playing at Narrandera, this time against an Eagles team.


“They were stoked, and so were Nan and Pop,” he said.

“Dad and the footy club really want to make the most of it because everyone knows how excited we were as kids when we had those games there.”

Giant stepsNarrandera boy, now GWS Giant, Matt Flynn.
Flynn remembers his Mum taking him to the bakery after school where Swans stars Barry Hall, Adam Goodes and Nick Davis were having a coffee. He thinks rising Riverina stars Zac Williams (Narrandera) and Matt Kennedy (Collingullie) and forward Jon Patton can prove a similar attraction.

“I think the kids will want to see Zac after how good a year he had last year – he was nearly all-Australian – and Matty Kennedy after the footy he played,” Flynn said.

But the 19-year old himself is focussed on his role for the Giants – up forward, as well as relieving in the ruck.

He’s worked hard in the off-season, on his endurance to get to the contests, and in adding a couple of kilograms so he has an impact when he gets there. Now the 200cm, 103kg Giant wants to seize his opportunity.

“I’ll be putting my hand up and having a crack, competing for a second or third JLT game and moving on from there,” he said.

“But I’m just really excited to have this first game.”


GIANT LEAP FOR MATT'S KIND: GWS saw enough in Matt Flynn at the AFL Combine in 2015 to draft him that year. Now he hopes to show them plenty more on his home ground, Narrandera Sportsground, in Saturday's AFL pre-season game against West Coast. Picture: Getty Images

Flynn won a NEAFL grand final with the Giants reserves last year but said the club is still hurting after exiting the AFL finals with a preliminary final loss to the Sydney Swans.

He said they’re intent on avoiding any hint of ‘second year blues’ after such a standout season.

“We were bitterly disappointed at what happened in the preliminary final but we can take a lot out of last year,” Flynn said.

“We all agree that the talent’s there but it’s the structures we need to just fine tune to really compete.”

The Giants have named Josh Kelly as skipper for Saturday’s game. Co-captains Callan Ward and Phil Davis head a list of experienced names who won’t make the trip, including Toby Greene, Jeremy Cameron, Steve Johnson and Heath Shaw.

West Coast are also expected to name some new faces when teams are confirmed on Thursday.

“West Coast are a decent side and I think they’ll be similar to us – a pretty young side,” Flynn said.

“They’ll still have a pretty decent backline I think and a young midfield. And it’ll be the highest level of footy I’ve every played.”

 

[Giant Strides]

Unfortunately, after waiting ages to debut, then given an opportunity to become the #1 ruck for GWS in early 2023, Kieren Briggs overtook him mid-season, and subsequently UFA Matt Flynn has elected to see greener pastures elsewhere in search of regular first grade time. I think I speak for all/most GWS fans in wishing Matt all the very best in his next steps. We would have loved to keep you being a NSW born and bred player, but the move is understandable for your own career.

Giants free agent wants out, nominates new home

Matt Flynn is set to depart the Giants as an unrestricted free agent

www.afl.com.au

GREATER Western Sydney ruckman Matt Flynn has officially nominated West Coast as his preferred destination. Flynn, who can move to the Eagles as an unrestricted free agent when Friday's window opens, played 33 games across eight seasons at the Giants after arriving through the club's Academy program.

As revealed on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable back in August, West Coast has long held an interest in Flynn with the promise of more senior opportunities ultimately luring him across the country. Melbourne was also among a handful of teams that were interested in the 200cm big man, who will likely become West Coast's No.1 ruck option following the recent retirement of Nic Naitanui.
Bailey Williams had become the Eagles' first-choice ruck throughout season 2023, playing all 23 games, while the club also has youngsters Callum Jamieson and Harry Barnett contracted for next year.

Flynn, 26, played the first nine games for the Giants this season before being replaced in the senior side by the in-form Kieren Briggs.

 

[Giant Strides]

Inside the pitch Eagles made to Flynn that will see Giant head west

"I’ve just got to move on in my career and take the next step.”

www.sen.com.au

Soon-to-be West Coast ruckman Matt Flynn has flagged more opportunity as his main reason to seek a move from GWS to the Eagles. Flynn started the 2023 season as the Giants’ number one ruckman but fell out of favour midway through the year to Kieren Briggs, who built some impressive form as he came back into the side and locked himself in for the role. An unrestricted free agent, the 33-gamer has nominated the Eagles as his preferred destination with the hopes of playing more consistent AFL football.

“I’ve been around for a while now and haven’t really been able to play consistent AFL football, and I guess I just wanted to put myself in a spot where I’ve got the opportunity to do that,” Flynn told SEN WA’s Breakfast with Scotty and Goss. “There’s still a lot of work to go, Bailey Williams had a really strong year this year and it’s not going to be easy for me, but I think there’s a good chance that we can get over there and do some good things together. I guess, yeah, just looking for that opportunity was the main thing behind it all.”

Flynn said it was difficult to see Briggs take over his role and watch his side go all the way to a Preliminary Final, however he holds no hard feelings to anyone at GWS. “It was a frustrating time, but I’ve got a really strong relationship with ‘Brigga’ so I think it was awesome to see him take that opportunity,” he said. “We were constantly pushing each other for the last seven or eight years, so to see him come in and do that was amazing. But I guess in the same sense, it did provide a few frustrations and I wasn’t able to get in. To watch the boys go all the way to the prelim was really great to see for them, but… it was a frustrating period for myself. I’ve just got to move on in my career and take the next step.”

Flynn also explained how he was impressed with the Eagles’ pitch to him, which comes after long-term interest in him throughout the season. “I think it was just the clarity - I caught up with Adam Simpson and the clarity around my role was being a pure ruckman,” he said. “This year I went back into the VFL and ‘Briggsy’ was playing really well as the pure ruck in the AFL, so I tried to play a little bit more forward ruck. I found that a bit tricky and it wasn’t really my go-to, but I learnt a lot. Then the clarity to come from Simpson to say ‘Matt, you’ll be a ruck competing with Bayley and then if it all goes well, he can go forward-ruck’. It was really good to hear and provide me with the certainty I guess.”

The unrestricted free agency signing window will open on Friday, with Flynn all but set to become an Eagle in 2024.

 

[Giant Strides]

It's official now - Matt Flynn has departed GWS as an Unrestricted Free Agent to West Coast Eagles.

Farewell, Matt. All the best, except for games against GWS, hope you crack a regular first grade spot.

 

[Giant Strides]

GIANTS Farewell Flynn

Matt Flynn will depart the GIANTS to join the West Coast Eagles.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

The GIANTS have farewelled ruck Matt Flynn, who has moved to the West Coast Eagles on the opening day of the AFL’s Free Agency Period. 26-year-old Flynn, who was out of contract, is an Academy graduate and joined the club at the end of 2015, playing 33 games for the club after making his AFL debut in 2021.

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

, wished Flynn well in his next chapter. “We’re sad to see Matt leave the club, but it’s the best decision for his career,” McCartney said. “He’s a wonderful teammate and person but we just aren’t in the position to provide the opportunities that Matt needs at this point in his career. We thank him for being a valuable member of our club for a long time now and we wish him nothing but the best at the Eagles.”