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Wagga’s Harvey Thomas and Binya’s Harry Rowston will return to the Riverina as AFL stars next month, with the GWS Giants bringing their pre-season camp to the region.
The GIANTS will spend five days in Wagga Wagga from Monday 23 to Friday 27 November, with Thomas and Rowston among the players returning to the footy fields where their AFL journeys began.
Thomas, a Turvey Park product, has established himself as one of the Giants’ emerging stars, while Rowston is establishing himself in the senior side, starting in the last eight matches of the 2026 season.
Rowston’s remarkable rise began in tiny Binya. He played for the Griffith Swans before becoming the Allies’ MVP at the 2022 Under 18 AFL National Championships. He made his AFL debut for GWS the following year, with his first touch almost producing a goal against West Coast in Perth.
He produced one of the highlights of the 2026 season with a stunning running goal from the boundary against Fremantle, with the AFL describing it as an “elite running goal”.
The camp will include junior clinics, school visits, coaching workshops and fan activities, giving thousands of Riverina youngsters the chance to meet players who have taken the same pathway from regional football to the AFL.
The Riverina has long been one of Australian Rules’ most productive talent pools.
Along with Thomas and Rowston, the Giants have Mangoplah-CUE’s Harry Himmelberg and Osborne’s Nick Madden, while AFLW stars Alyce Parker and Zarlie Goldsworthy also hail from the region.
The region has also produced some of the game’s biggest names, including Wayne Carey, John Longmire, Paul Kelly and Neale Daniher.
Head of AFL NSW/ACT Andrew Varasdi said the Riverina was “one of Australia’s great footy heartlands”.
“This is a community that lives and breathes the game, and having Giants players and coaches spend time in local schools, clubs and on local grounds is a powerful way to celebrate that football culture and inspire the next generation,” he said.
“When young footballers in the Riverina see a player like Harvey Thomas return home in Giants colours, they can see what is possible through the opportunities our pathways provide.”
The Giants players will run drills as part of an AFL Riverina junior football camp and visit schools across Wagga Wagga and surrounding towns.
Giants coaches will also share their expertise with local coaches at a special coaching symposium.
The camp will finish with an open training session at Robertson Oval, giving fans the chance to watch the Giants prepare for the 2027 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
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