AFLW star Haneen Zreika announces exciting baby news and shares heartwarming footage of her telling her GWS teammates
The Greater Western Sydney Giants star, 26, recently revealed the exciting news to her teammates and shared a heartwarming clip of the moment on social media.
In the footage, Haneen was seen arriving late to a team meeting before telling her fellow players the shock reason for her delay.
'Guys, I'm alive! I haven't been lying, I have been really sick... It's because I am pregnant,' Haneen told her teammates.
The GWS squad were then seen jumping up in excitement as the whole team ran up to hug Haneen and congratulate her on the exciting news.
From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.
Haneen then revealed her due date as her squad cheered her on: 'It's a November baby. Thanks guys.'
It is the first child for Haneen, who has played for Greater Western Sydney since 2018.
Haneen is one of the most outspoken players in the league and made headlines in October 2022 when she pulled out of the AFLW's league's pride round due to religious beliefs - the second time she has done so.
The Muslim athlete said she would not be playing in the club's fixture against Hawthorn on October 16 in Sydney, where the side would be wearing specially-designed pride jumpers.
The round celebrates and honours the LGBTQI+ community, which is heavily interlaced with the league given the amount of gay players.
She also sparked backlash in January that year when she made the same decision to pull out of the Giants fixture - and that outrage appears to have reared its ugly head again.
Haneen said she felt she had a 'responsibility to represent her faith' during pride round.
For her, this meant not wearing the rainbow jersey GWS designed for the round - and she revealed she felt like an 'outsider' when the AFL rejected her proposal to just wear the normal strip.
In the footage, Haneen was seen arriving late to a team meeting before telling her fellow players the shock reason for her delay
'I didn't want to make a big deal of it, until the AFL rejected me from wearing a normal jersey. That was a shock to me,' the speedy midfielder said in the Disney+ AFLW documentary 'Fearless', which was released at the start of the season.
'I love what the AFL do and the way they include everyone, but you can't have a round where you include people but exclude someone that it impacts their faith.'
'I really feel like an outsider, like, "no mate, you're not part of us",' Haneenadded.
Haneen has a number of gay teammates, including captain Alicia Eva, Katherine Smith and Pepa Randall; and insists she does not 'judge the girls' despite differing beliefs.
'They can be whatever they want. I still love and respect them and they're still my mates,' she said in the documentary series.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
44 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Why transgender athlete believes she will be BANNED from the Olympics despite representing Australia for eight years
A transgender athlete blocked from playing AFLW is now fearing a fresh ban that would stop her from representing Australia at the Los Angeles Olympics. In 2017, transgender footballer Hannah Mouncey was ruled ineligible for the AFL Women's draft under the league's gender diversity policy, which assessed physical attributes such as strength, stamina, and physique. The AFL said her inclusion could have an 'unreasonable physical advantage' over other players, a decision that drew criticism from advocates who argued it was discriminatory. Mouncey, who had previously represented Australia in men's handball, was later allowed to play in state-level women's competitions, including the VFLW. Now, the 35-year-old has returned to her first love, playing handball for Australia with a view to represent her country at the Los Angeles Olympics. Mouncey made her debut for Australia's women's national handball team in late 2018, competing at the Asian Women's Handball Championship in November. She remains an integral part of the Australian women's handball team which hopes to qualify for the LA Olympics in 2028 and then gain automatic qualification for the Brisbane 2032 Games. However, Mouncey doesn't expect her dream to come true, expecting rising anti-Transgender athlete sentiment to slam the door shut on her. 'I expect to be banned by the end of the year, if I am honest,' she told the Sacked podcast. 'It seems like that is where they are going at the moment, they are looking probably at a ban across the board, and not just for trans athletes, but intersex athletes. They will be forced to compete in the men's competition. 'But I am playing for Australia at the moment, I have played for the Australian women's team for seven or eight years now, and I have had no issues really at all, especially from overseas. 'I have been very open about it with the international federations, they have been fantastic, the Asian handball federation has no issues at all. 'I have competed in the Asian championships and had no issues and no other teams I have played against in those competitions have ever raised any concerns or issues at all. 'It is the exact opposite, and from countries where people might be more conservative. I have had such positive responses from some of the girls from Iran and Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.' Just before the 2016 Rio Olympics, the IOC updated its policy on transgender athletes, permitting them to compete in the Olympics and other international events without the requirement of sex reassignment surgery. The International Handball Federation updated its statutes in February, 2024, permitting the inclusion of transgender athletes. 'The IHF tolerates no discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or groups of people on the grounds of racial origin, gender, language, religion or politics,' the statutes read. Despite that, Mouncey continues to face opposition to her inclusion in the Australian Women's Handball team. Canadian William Allen, who was born a man and lived 30 years as a transgender woman before de-transitioning back a man, has been a vocal opponent. Australian media personality Lucy Zelić and Giggle app developer Sall Grover have been strongly opposed to transgender women competing in women's sports. In June 2022, FINA, the international governing body for swimming, introduced a policy that effectively bans most transgender women from competing in elite women's events. In March 2023, the IAAF - now known as World Athletics - announced new regulations that ban transgender women who have gone through male puberty from competing in elite female track and field events. Which has made Mouncey feel that other sports are next, including her own. 'The fight is hard. What makes me good as an athlete is also the thing that's probably my downfall outside of that, and that is I can't walk away from a fight,' she said. 'There is pressure from a vocal minority and we know that FINA has banned trans people as has the IAAF. There is huge pressure from the United States government as hosts of the next Olympics. And they are very anti trans anyway. 'But I think the evidence in this is that if there was this problem of trans people having an unfair advantage, we would know it by now in the results. But we don't have it. 'There is obviously a fairness element to it, and I am a big believer in that there has to be restrictions there. I have always advocated for that. 'But where the IOC is now where you need 12-24 months of hormone treatment is spot on as someone who has been through it. 'I started hormone treatment after we got back from Qatar to try to qualify for the Rio Olympics and in November 2015 I squatted 200 kilograms, benched 150kg, cleaned 140kg. 'Within 12 months everything had dropped by two thirds across the board. My quad had gone down to 60 or 65, my bench had dropped to 50. 'People don't understand that it is because you lose testosterone from the body and that has an impact across the board.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Olympic champion Jess Fox steps out with mystery man after relationship heartbreak
Australia's golden girl Jessica Fox may be dipping her toes back in the dating pool, after being spotted with a mystery man at Thursday's NRL clash between Penrith and Melbourne. Fox was at the match as part of her ongoing Channel Nine media committments, appearing on camera on the sideline with presenter Danika Mason. Behind the scenes, though, she was spotted walking, chatting and laughing with a mystery man - sparking suggestions she is dating again. Fox is Australia's most successful Olympic paddler, winning four medals across three Games in canoe slalom. She claimed bronze in the K1 at London 2012, silver in the same event at Rio 2016, and famously won gold in the C1 at Tokyo 2020. Her gold medal in Tokyo came alongside another K1 bronze, cementing her as one of Australia's greatest Olympians. But her hard came at a price, splitting with long-time partner Mathieu Biazizzo ahead of the Paris Olympics. It was reported the couple grew apart, with Biazizzo also trying to keep up a heavy schedule as a French slalom canoeist and kayaker. Earlier this year, Fox admitted she was looking for love again. 'I am [on the dating scene],' Fox, 30, said in May. 'When you're trying to balance life, work, training and then you throw dating in there… you know for me it has to happen organically. 'But I'm happy and I'm in a good place, everything is great for me.' As of August 15, 2025, Jess Fox is turning her focus to the 2026 Canoe Slalom World Championships, where she will aim to add to her already record-breaking tally of world titles. She is also expected to compete on the ICF World Cup circuit next season. Long term, Fox has her sights set on qualifying for a fifth Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028. Fox is also balancing her elite paddling career with completing an MBA through Griffith University, giving her skills for life beyond sport. She is exploring opportunities in media after enjoying TV presenting roles at major events like the Australian Open and Melbourne Cup Carnival. Fox plans to sample different career paths while still competing, aiming for a smooth transition when she eventually retires from professional sport. 'I've got a couple more subjects to go – I put it on hold while I was at the Games [last year]. It's been a bit of a whirlwind since, so I haven't really had much time to study,' she said earlier this year. 'But the plan is to finish off those last couple of units this year or early next.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Footy fans AGAIN vent their fury at Panthers after trainer enters field with game on the line - as highly respected commentator calls for change
Fed-up footy fans have loudly questioned why a Penrith trainer was seen barking instructions behind the play with the match on the line against Melbourne on Thursday night. While the Storm won a thrilling contest at CommBank Stadium 22-18 thanks to a golden point try from Harry Grant, the fact another Panthers trainer was just metres away as Nathan Cleary steadied for a field goal in the 79th minute annoyed many supporters. 'All night their trainer was out there, telling them what to do,' said one supporter online. 'I wonder how bitter Penrith must feel that even when they flout the rules they still get beaten,' teased another. 'Standard cheating Panthers,' a third bluntly posted. In commentary, veteran Fox League caller Andrew Voss made his feelings well known. 'Penrith trainer on the field, no surprise,' Voss said seconds before Cleary's field goal attempt was charged down by Melbourne lock Trent Loiero. Voss later clarified his comments ahead of golden point. 'By the way, the commentary on the trainer, they all do it,' he said. 'Don't think I'm pinpointing Penrith ... but in a big moment, I'd much rather the players decide it.' It comes after the NRL fined Panthers trainer Corey Bocking $50,000 and suspended him five games for running in front of Titans kicker Jayden Campbell as he was lining up for goal in a clash at Cbus Super Stadium on August 2. And with the finals looming, the NRL have promised to crackdown on trainer interference, reportedly sending a warning to all 17 teams there will be 'zero tolerance' going forward. It is understood the game's powerbrokers are seething with the level of on-field behaviour of some trainers, with some appearing to deliberately defy the rules in place. 'There will be zero tolerance for comments or gestures of any type towards match officials by trainers,' the correspondence to all NRL teams read. 'Trainers entering the field of play will be monitored to ensure they do not interfere with general play. 'There will be a greater focus on the orange (shirt) medical trainer remaining on the field without treating players. 'There will be a greater focus on blue (shirt) trainers leaving the field immediately after the fourth tackle. 'Breaches may not only result in financial penalty but can also result in suspension or cancellation of accreditation.
