EIGHTEEN-year-old Reeve Simmons has taken another major step in his Aussie Rules journey, making his Victorian Football League (VFL) debut on Sunday 10 May.
Simmons was selected to play ruck for the Greater Western Sydney Giants in their clash with the Essendon Bombers.
He said he was “extremely happy” when he received the call-up from coach, Robbie Chancellor.
“To be named in the Giants’ VFL line-up to take on the Bombers was great.
“It not only validated the commitment and sacrifices that I have made over the years but those that my family and closest friends have also made.
“I was happy with my first performance.
“I felt I was competitive all game and didn’t let the accolades of my opposition stop me.
“Most importantly, the coaches were pleased and you can’t ask for much more than that.”
The Bombers won that match but the following weekend, 17 May, Simmons backed up for the Giants in their three-point win over Sandringham in Melbourne.
Simmons, a former Port Macquarie Magpies junior and member of the North Coast Force and HEAT representative programs, has steadily built a reputation as one of the region’s most promising young players.
His pathway to elite football has been shaped by both opportunity and persistence.
He first gained the attention of the Sydney Swans Academy thanks to the advocacy of Camden Haven High School (CHHS) teacher Brent Wilkinson.
Recognising his young student’s potential, Wilkinson contacted the academy, which prompted talent scout Cameron Leon to extend an invitation for Simmons to trial and then join the academy program.
Simmons returned to the Killarney Vale Bombers in 2024, where he played in the Men’s Cup division (first grade) before gaining a permit to play with the East Coast Eagles Men’s Premier team.
This move accelerated his development and ultimately steered him towards the Giants program.
Initially brought in as a VFL train-on player, Simmons quickly impressed coaching staff, earning himself a position with the Giants Academy as an over-ager and solidifying his place within the club’s development pathway.
The VFL is a premier second-tier, semi-professional Australian rules football competition, serving as the primary pathway to the elite Australian Football League (AFL).
Operated by the AFL, it features a mix of standalone clubs and AFL-aligned reserves teams across Victoria, NSW, Queensland, and Tasmania and operates from March to September each year.
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