In simply his seventh AFL recreation, defender Leek Aleer performed a pivotal position in GWS’ large victory over the Cats in Geelong on Saturday evening.
At simply 22 years previous, the Kenyan-born teenager then duly soaked up the second, signing autographs and taking selfies with followers after coming from the bottom following the crunch 11.12 (78) to 11.8 (74) win.
The one drawback? Your entire Giants crew was deep contained in the dressing room and about to sing the crew tune.
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Late in a pivotal recreation between two sides driving three-game shedding streaks, Aleer took two intercept marks that allowed GWS to safe the 4 factors.
His first mark deep within the line of defense got here by way of a juggled effort with 95 seconds left.
He then went one step higher, taking a leaping pack mark simply 32 seconds later because the Giants managed to expire the clock.
“Cats want a hero and so they don’t have one,” Dwayne Russell stated on Fox Footy. “It’s Aleer, what a second for Aleer to face tall once more.”
“Leek Aleer. What a seize,” Anthony Hudson added.
Hawthorn nice Jason Dunstall then detailed how essential the fifteenth decide within the 2021 Draft had been to the trigger.
“It’s an enormous recreation Leek Aleer, simply recreation quantity seven,” he stated.
“He’s completed with 15 possessions and 7 marks, however six of these marks have been intercept marks.
“He took an enormous, high-flying chest mark when the sport was on the road.”
Publish-match, GWS captain Toby Greene stated Aleer “received us the sport, good on him”.
Aleer performed 4 senior matches in 2022 and didn’t add to that tally in 2023 as he continued his improvement.
However he has managed three extra matches this season and his effort on Saturday evening augurs nicely for his hopes of remaining within the facet.
Aleer was interviewed by former Cat Cameron Mooney out on the bottom after the Giants snared a fourth straight win at Geelong’s house floor relationship again to 2019.
“I’m ecstatic, surreal, it’s clearly going to be a kind of moments that I’ll keep in mind eternally,” he stated.
“Actually, going into this recreation, the boys wished to win, I wished to win, the membership wished to win.
“It’s been an enormous month for us so to get this win is huge, huge.”
Aleer added he was further motivated to make an impression after dropping a marking alternative earlier in that remaining quarter earlier than taking the clutch late seize.
“I used to be fairly filthy with one I dropped,” he stated. “We’re not proud of smooth drops in our backline.
“Once I noticed that ball, I assumed this is a chance for me to do one thing huge for the crew.
“So I simply went at it and I’m simply glad I took it and really glad to be a part of it and I can’t wait to go rejoice with the boys.”
Besides, he didn’t go to rejoice with the boys.
Aleer initially began strolling off the bottom together with his teammates, chatting with fellow Big James Peatling.
However he couldn’t resist the invitation to cease and take some selfies and signal some autographs with a smattering of younger GWS followers.
With no thought his teammates have been all ready for him, Aleer went from one facet of the race to the opposite to mingle with followers.
“If he retains doing this, he’ll miss the tune,” Dunstall stated.
“I don’t assume they’ll begin with out him,” Russell added.
The crew was arm in arm and actually began to belt out the tune when the realisation struck a key member of the crew wasn’t with them
“He’s going to do 100 selfies,” Dunstall stated with fun.
“They’re going to have to return and seize him and inform him ‘we’re ready to sing the tune’.”
Alastair Lynch added: “That is unbelievable. How good is that this?
“Completely oblivious, he’s received no thought. That’s nice. Keep there, so you must.”
A crew official lastly got here out to seize him, with a sheepish Aleer working by means of the tunnel into the dressing room, the place he received an enormous roar from the entire squad.
“We simply beloved Leek Aleer there, simply soaking within the second of greatness,” Jack Riewoldt stated on Fox Footy.
Footy followers have been additionally loving the second on social media.
“Hahahaha that’s the perfect, savour the moments and revel in it with the followers. Perfection,” was one touch upon X.
“Leek doesn’t look forward to the crew, the crew waits for Leek,” wrote one other.
“This was hilarious, good on him for embracing his second,” added a 3rd.
Whereas Aleer stole the headlines and the love of the gang, Greene’s audacious late purpose was one other large second that put the Giants in entrance.
Jake Riccardi kicked a team-high 4 targets for the Giants, who ruined Tom Hawkins’ membership report 356th recreation, which moved him one away from Geelong nice and ex-teammate Joel Selwood.
The four-point triumph moved the Giants again into the highest 4, whereas the Cats slipped to fifth as they misplaced 4 straight video games for the primary time underneath coach Chris Scott.
