Dwayne Russell’s tip for the 2025 AFL recruit of the year

Dwayne Russell thinks that Jake Stringer could end up being 2025’s recruit of the year.

The explosive forward joined GWS during last year’s trade period, with pick No.53 going back Essendon’s way.

While the 30-year-old didn’t cost the Giants much from a trade perspective, Russell thinks that the forward could have a huge impact on their 2025 prospects after he kicked 42 goals from 23 games for the Dons in 2024.

Russell thinks that Stringer could end up being the missing ingredient for the Giants as they chase a maiden premiership after they were bundled out in straight sets last September.

“Some are saying that Jake Stringer is going to make them worse, not better,” Russell said on SEN Afternoons.

“I’ve got Jake Stringer in as the guy who just might be the added ingredient that gets them their first-ever premiership in 2025.

“I think Jake Stringer could be the recruit of the year. But a few have come at me since I've picked the Giants to win the flag, saying that it'll be Dan Houston that'll be recruit of the year and Collingwood will win the flag.”

The main reason behind his Stringer pick is that Russell thinks he has every chance of winning the flag and playing a huge role in the decider, much as Bobby Hill did for Collingwood less than 12 months after joining the club in 2023.

“Do you need to win the flag to be recruit of the year?” Russell said.

“Probably the recruit of the year a couple of years ago was Bobby Hill. Collingwood won the flag and Bobby Hill’s Grand Final was awesome.

“This time last year we were talking about Brodie Grundy that he might end up being the recruit of the year, that he could have been the difference maker … in the end on Grand Final day he wasn’t.

“Am I right that it will be Jake Stringer, and the Giants win the flag?”

Stringer will hope to make his GWS debut during Opening Round when Collingwood comes to Engie Stadium on March 9.