Lachie Whitfield Biography

Lachie Whitfield will become just the third Giant to reach the 200-game milestone this week.

"Even before I got to the footy club, I wanted to be a one-club player and I had a pretty good idea I was going to be moving to Sydney so once I wrapped my head around that, I thought, 'let's do this forever'," Whitfield said.

"It's a pretty cool achievement to be the third person to do it (at the club), but it's snuck up, I reckon. Milestone games are something that you want to do as a kid. I'm proud of it and I'm lucky that I've done it all at one club."

Stephen Coniglio will remain skipper of the Giants in 2021 while Toby Greene has been elevated to the role of vice-captain.

Phil Davis, Jacob Hopper, Lachie Whitfield, Josh Kelly and Matt de Boer round out the club's leadership group.

"It's an honour to be vice-captain of a club that I love so much and that has given me so much in my life. Leadership is something I've worked really hard on developing. It's an area I want to continue to improve in," Greene said.

"I'm really proud to support 'Cogs' as our captain. We've got a really strong group that will drive us forward in 2021."

Lachie Whitfield will miss the Giants' 2021 opening round against St Kilda and has no firm timetable on a return from his liver laceration.

Whitfield suffered the injury in early February, spent nine nights in hospital, and still has trouble doing most forms of exercise.

"I can't do much exercise at all because the liver is inflamed, swollen up, which has then pushed up my right lung from where it should be," Whitfield said.

"Breathing is pretty hard to do, especially through exercise. I've tried a fair bit of running and I'm not fully agreeing with that at the minute. I just need the liver to shrink in size, so the lung can cope with it all."

Nick Haynes and Lachie Whitfield tie in the count for the Kevin Sheedy Medal as the Giants' best and fairest for the 2020 season.

Whitfield also makes Giants history by becoming the first player to win two best and fairests, following his 2018 gong.

"Nick has been a stalwart of our backline for years now and has always been incredibly highly valued internally with two top-five finishes before this year. He's once again taken his game to another level this year and thoroughly deserves the accolades that have come his way," Giants coach Leon Cameron said.

"Taking on an official leadership role ahead of this season shows his development off the field and on the field, we saw Lachie continue to show his class and work-rate across the entire season."

Stephen Coniglio will captain GWS in 2020 as part of a six-man leadership group.

The Giants won't have any vice-captains under Coniglio, instead entrusting Josh Kelly and Matt de Boer to support the star midfielder, along with newcomers Jeremy Cameron, Toby Greene and Lachie Whitfield.

Phil Davis and Callan Ward have stepped away from the Giants' leadership group after eight seasons as co-captains of the club.

"We're very fortunate at the Giants to have some outstanding leaders and I'm really confident in the mix of players that will be supporting Stephen as on-field leaders," GWS footy boss Jason McCartney said.

Lachie Whitfield is ruled out of the Giants' preliminary final against Collingwood after having his appendix removed.

"We're not going to sit here and deny that we're flat because he's not playing, and I'm not going to say he's happy about it, but it is what it is," Giants coach Leon Cameron said.

"Is it at the wrong time (for us)? Yes, it is. But his health is more important than any game of footy.

"We'll be doing everything in our power to win so it gives Lachie an opportunity to play next weekend, and Lachie will do everything in his power to put himself in the frame to play."

Lachie Whitfield will miss at least a month after undergoing surgery on his collarbone from an injury sustained against Gold Coast.

Giants coach Leon Cameron said that Whitfield wanted to return to the field despite being in pain against the Suns but was overruled by medical staff, and that side of his game has been underrated by the footy world.

"There's been a lot of good commentary about him being a really good player, but I think that commentary has turned into (being about the fact that) he's really tough for his build," Cameron said.

"He's not built like a brick, he's an elite runner and playmaker, but when it's his turn to go he goes as hard as anyone in our footy team. Our players really notice that."

Lachie Whitfield caps his remarkable emergence as a defender by winning his first Kevin Sheedy Medal as Greater Western Sydney club champion for the 2018 season.

Whitfield polled 175 votes to claim the award in a tight count ahead of co-captains Callan Ward (164) and Phil Davis (156).

"We challenged him this season, almost out of necessity, with his determination and professionalism shining through as he attacked his move to half-back with enthusiasm," GWS coach Leon Cameron said of Whitfield.

"We always knew he was an incredibly hard-working and skilful player, but what he's been able to achieve this season is nothing short of remarkable."

Lachie Whitfield is averaging a career-high 27.4 possessions at 78.1 per cent efficiency in 2018 after being moved from the wing to his current role as a small defender running off half-back for the Giants.

He's also ranked first in the AFL for uncontested possessions and seventh for kicks.

"I was probably thrown in the deep end a little bit and was just learning how to swim at one stage there," he said.

"But the more I played with our backline the more confidence I got, and the more I learned about the role I was playing.

"I'm starting to run with the ball a bit more, I'm taking on harder kicks than I was earlier in the year, and my one-on-one defence has definitely improved as well.

"I'm feeling a lot more comfortable in the position."

Luke Power says he has a special bond with Lachie Whitfield who will play in his 100th game this week.

Power worked with Whitfield during his time as an assistant coach at the Giants and also during Whitfield's suspension for attempting to evade a drug test.

"I spent a lot of time with him in Melbourne and he's very highly regarded within my family," Power said.

"We have a lot of time for him, he's a really good person from a really great family.

"While the ban wasn't a positive time for him, I guess he got to take some positives from it.

"He got to learn the discipline of training by himself and being able to do all that hard work."

Lachie Whitfield signs a two-year contract extension with GWS to remain at the club until the end of 2020.

"It was a pretty easy decision really," Whitfield said.

"This has been my home since I arrived five years ago and this is where I want to play my football.

"I love the Sydney lifestyle and wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

"We're building something special and I’m looking forward to what's to come in the next few years."

Lachie Whitfield returns to finals a more resilient footballer and rounded person, having learned all manner of lessons under the tutelage of boxer Sam Soliman during a six-month ban.

Wanting to make the most of his time in isolation, the former No.1 draft pick contacted former IBF middleweight champion Soliman.

Soliman pushed the fresh-faced midfielder to breaking point during sparring sessions, the first of which started with Whitfield being ordered to punch on when he wanted leave to vomit.

"He's quite a coach, not just a boxing coach but a life coach," Whitfield said.

"I did a lot of community service with him during my time, just trying to give back.

"It's changed who I am, definitely, that ban. It's made me a better person."

Lachie Whitfield opens up about his six-month suspension at the end of 2016 after he allegedly attempted to evade a drug test.

"The hardest part was being away from my mates, easily, but I was welcomed back with open arms," he said.

"Surprisingly I wasn't nervous for my first game, I knew that I didn't have to set the world on fire and if I played my role I'd do enough to keep my spot in the team."

Whitfield enlisted the help of former Collingwood midfielder Adam Iacobucci to get him in shape while he was suspended.

"Training-wise it was good because I was able to concentrate on the types of training that I thought would benefit me, instead of doing the program that everyone else abides by," he said.

"By the time round eight came around I was pretty much ready to go, and due to a couple of injuries I was pushed into the team straight away."

Lachie Whitfield says he was amused to be sledged by Carlton fans last week about his six-month ban for breaching AFL rules.

"The weekend was the first time I noticed a bit of abuse from the stands," he said.

"There was none in Perth or Sydney.

"It made me smile and gave me a giggle. There have been a dozen players who have given me a pat on the back and said it's good to see me back."

GWS teammates want Lachie Whitfield straight back into the side after the former No.1 draft pick missed the first seven rounds of 2017 while serving the ban for allegedly attempting to evade a drug test.

"I think he (Whitfield) feels ready to go physically. Obviously he's a freak talent and in his skill work," Giants vice-captain Stephen Coniglio said.

"I'd have no problem from a leadership perspective in putting my hand up and saying I want him to play this week."

Greater Western Sydney is confident banned midfielder Lachie Whitfield will stay at the Giants for many more years, despite interest from other clubs.

Whitfield is contracted until the end of 2018 but is expected to be a highly sought-after commodity at trade time.

"He is really happy. We have spoken to his manager (about that speculation) and had positive talks," GWS football manager Wayne Campbell said.

"He will be a Giants player for a whole lot longer."

Lachie Whitfield will return to Greater Western Sydney next month with a renewed focus and well prepared for the next phase of his football career.

Giants coach Leon Cameron has been in regular contact with the talented wingman, who is banned from playing until the middle of May for having evaded a drug test during 2015.

"I can catch up with him and talk about what's going on in his life, but not about footy or what's going on at the club," Cameron explained.

"He's going OK, but it is disappointing. I'm not going to sit here and say everything's rosy, because it's not. It's disappointing he's not preparing to play in the opening game of the JLT series. We'd love him to be here and he'd love to be out there."

Greater Western Sydney is fined $100,000 and 1000 draft points for the actions of two club officials, Graeme Allan and Craig Lambert, and its player Lachie Whitfield, that saw the club charged with conduct unbecoming.

A sub-committee of the AFL Commission consisting of chairman Mike Fitzpatrick and commission members Jason Ball and Paul Bassat made the decision that the club had to bear some responsibility for the affair after hearing from the Giants.

The AFL has charges Greater Western Sydney with conduct unbecoming over the club's role in the Lachie Whitfield affair.

Club officials will front the AFL Commission on December 13 to explain their actions, with the Giants confirming they would contest the charge.

"The club regards any potential sanction stemming from this charge as unwarranted and inappropriate given the admissions by the former staff members that they acted outside their authority," GWS said in a statement.

"As a result, the Giants intend to contest this charge at a hearing with the AFL Commission on December 13."

Anti-doping watchdog ASADA says it's comfortable with the punishments handed out by the AFL to Graeme Allan, Craig Lambert and Lachlan Whitfield.

"I note the investigation revealed no use or intended use of performance-enhancing drugs," ASADA chief executive Ben McDevitt said in a statement.

"Given the circumstances, I do not believe pursuit of additional action under the AFL anti-doping rules is warranted."

Lachie Whitfield has been suspended for six months for breaching AFL rules, but the Greater Western Sydney midfielder will be eligible to return in round eight when the Giants play Collingwood.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan confirmed, which has been backdated, also announcing former GWS officials Graeme Allan and Craig Lambert would be handed 12-month suspensions for their roles in the long-running affair.

Whitfield apologized for his actions and said he was going through a difficult period at the time of the incident.

"After a long and stressful 18 months, the AFL and I have reached what we believe to be a fair resolution," he said in a statement.

"I was going through a difficult period in my life and was not thinking clearly at the time. I know I should have behaved differently.

"I sincerely apologise to my team mates, coaches and our supporters. I love playing for the GWS Giants and am determined to repay the faith and loyalty they have shown in me."

Graeme Allan has resigned as director of football at Collingwood after being suspended for 12 months for bringing the game into disrepute.

The 62-year-old accepted the AFL sanctions and conceded he had made an error of judgment in the way he dealt with Lachie Whitfield's circumstance.

"Regardless of my good intentions, I should have handled the issues differently and ensured Lachie continued to meet his off-field "whereabouts" obligations at all times," Allan said.

"I also accept that the club I served then, and the club I serve now, are dealing with the consequences of this matter.

"For this, I am sorry.

"This is why I have agreed to accept the suspension handed to me today. The legal fight could have gone on, but that is not in the best interests of the game, the AFL, or my family. Recent history tells us as much."

ASADA says it is still waiting for the AFL's 'full investigation file' into the case involving Greater Western Sydney player Lachie Whitfield and former officials Graeme Allan and Craig Lambert.

"On 31 October 2016, ASADA asked the AFL for its full investigation file, which we are still awaiting," an ASADA spokesperson told AFL.com.au.

"Because the potential consequences for individuals are so serious, it is important that ASADA considers all relevant material before any decision is made about whether to take forward possible anti-doping rule violations.

"In this case, as the information was collected as a part of an AFL investigation, due diligence requires ASADA to assess all evidence collected in its entirety."

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority has reportedly formed the view that Lachie Whitfield should be charged under the AFL's anti-doping code.

Whitfield is alleged to have breached the League's code in 2015 when he avoided drug testers by staying at former Greater Western Sydney welfare manager Craig Lambert's house.

The AFL is reportedly considering action against Greater Western Sydney midfielder Lachie Whitfield and two former senior Giants staff over an alleged anti-doping breach.

A report by the AFL's integrity unit into Whitfield's alleged attempts to avoid illicit drug testing in 2015 has been handed to the AFL and ASADA, The Australian says.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan says the investigation into Lachie Whitfield's alleged attempts to evade drug testers has been detailed and comprehensive.

"In August (2015) the investigation started and as I understand it, it's been an incredibly detailed, forensic investigation," McLachlan said.

"There haven't just been simple interviews. There's been forensic orders involved, retrieval of laptops and trying to get to the bottom of it.

"These things take what they take. They work methodically through it and they don't rush to reach to an outcome."

Lachie Whitfield is reportedly being investigated for allegedly avoiding drug testers.

Fairfax Media reports the AFL has finished an investigation into whether the 22-year-old stayed at the home of former Giants welfare manager Craig Lambert in May last year in order to avoid an illicit drug test he allegedly feared he may fail.

The report claims text messages between Whitfield and his girlfriend are central to the investigation.

"The Giants can confirm that mid-way through last year the club received an allegation from a member of the public that warranted investigation," a statement from GWS said.

"The club notified the AFL and commissioned an independent investigation by a Senior Counsel based on the evidence available.

"The club has been cooperating fully with the AFL who has been conducting a separate investigation. The club is awaiting advice from the AFL to finalise the matter."

Lachie Whitfield says the potential of success at the Giants was the key reason for his re-signing with the club.

"If I was to leave and see success (happening) up here it would really burn me I think," Whitfield said.

"We started from the bottom, losing a lot of games and having some really tough times, so now to see some improvement in the team, I really want to be part of that.

"As soon as I got to the club I saw myself trying to be here for as long as I can, I love Sydney and I'm really excited to be staying for another two years."

Greater Western Sydney secures one of its most exciting youngsters for another two years, beating off keen interest from Victorian clubs to re-sign Lachie Whitfield until the end of 2018.

Lachie Whitfield says he has turned to GWS assistant coach Lenny Hayes to help improve his inside game in 2016.

"His knowledge about how to manoeuvre yourself around stoppages, and little tricks he's got about how to create space, and how to use your body as best you can have been really good," Whitfield said of Hayes.

"He's helped me a lot and we've been doing a lot more specific training around centre bounces and stoppage work in our line groups.

"It's been my goal since I got to the club to get into the centre square, but over the past few years I've been hampered by shoulder injuries.

"This year I've been doing a lot more inside stuff and I've put on some weight. I've still got a long way to go with my contested ball work, but I've taken a big step forward."

Lachie Whitfield says he started barracking for the Giants even before they selected him with the No.1 draft pick in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft.

"I kind of wanted to go to the Giants [and was] barracking for them a year out from getting there because I'd played with a lot of mates who were already up there," Whitfield said.

"But it wasn't really until the Gold Coast and Giants match [in 2012] … I remember sitting at a pub with a couple of my mates watching it on the big screen and I was really barracking hard for the Giants to lose.

"I wanted them to lose because the Giants had already told me, 'If we come last you're a fair chance to be coming to us'."

Only weeks after Lachie Whitfield feared he might not play again at all in 2014, after a bad reaction to a seemingly innocuous injury against St Kilda in round two, the talented teenager produced the best game of his AFL career against Hawthorn with a career-best 32 disposals.

"I tried to do a running session two weeks after hurting it and could barely get above 50 per cent pace, so that was quite a tough time," Whitfield said of his injury.

"It was quite emotional, actually, just thinking that my season could be over so early into it.

"The physio staff were great and I did rehab as they planned and it was good to get back in just the five weeks."

After spending most of 2013 playing in a losing side, Lachie Whitfield says being part of the Giants' upset win over the Swans has been the highlight of his football career thus far.

"To get the win against the Swans was the best footy moment of my life and it was the same for a lot of the boys, just to get some early reward after a long, hard pre-season," Whitfield said.

"We were complete underdogs. No one really gave us a chance.

"It's been a long summer and to get some reward after that was a great moment for all of us."

GWS coach Leon Cameron says he is confident Lachie Whitfield will avoid the second-year blues after the young midfielder tallied 25 disposals and three goals in the Giants' NAB Challenge clash against Sydney.

"The second year is always tough because you burst onto the scene in your first year but the second year is tough because oppositions start knowing who you are," Cameron said.

"But we were rapt with Lachie's performance tonight along with some of our other players.

"He's a good kid and he's working hard to become that player we expect him to be."

No. 1 pick Lachie Whitfield signs a new deal with Greater Western Sydney that will keep him at the club until the end of 2016.

"I'm loving Sydney and loving what the club is providing for me," Whitfield said.

"I'm really excited about the future here at the Giants with the new headquarters (at Sydney Olympic Park) on track to be ready for next year, which will give us first-class facilities to train and prepare in.

"Leon Cameron has done a lot for me this season and I'm looking forward to continuing to develop my game under him."

Lachie Whitfield earns the round 10 NAB Rising Star nomination after 21 disposals and a goal against Carlton.

"It's been harder than I thought it would be," Whitfield said about playing AFL football.

"But probably against Port Adelaide, when I got some of the footy in the first half, I thought to myself 'I'm not too lost out here and I can give it a good crack.' That was quite a comforting feeling. The last few weeks against some really good sides has been tough."

Lachie Whitfield makes his AFL debut for GWS at Stadium Australia with 15 disposals (7 kicks and 8 handballs) and 3 marks in a 30-point loss to Sydney.

Highly rated Giant draftee Lachie Whitfield is set to make his debut in round one against reigning premiers Sydney.

"I'm trying to work on my game, make sure I'm getting some inside ball as well as outside ball," Whitfield said.

"I think I'm going to be playing in the midfield as well as out on the flanks and it would be a great opportunity to play in the Battle of the Bridge in round one up against the premiership side."

With Israel Folau's departure, rising star Toby Greene will don the club's most popular No. 4 jumper.

Meanwhile, Lachie Whitfield, the top selection in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft, has been handed the honour of retired Giant Luke Power's No.6 guernsey.

"We felt that the players who performed well for the club in their first year deserved the opportunity to pick up an earlier number if they wished," coach Kevin Sheedy said.

"We also obviously see Lachie Whitfield as a very talented young player and it's an honour for him to wear the number worn by Luke Power, who was such a great champion for more than 300 AFL games."

Midfielder Lachie Whitfield becomes 2012's top draft pick after being selected at No. 1 by GWS.

"I'm very humbled," Whitfield told Fox Footy.

"It's something that I hold very deeply, and I'm very honoured to be the number one selection."