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Why the GWS Giants will be a raging success

21st February, 2011
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Roar Guru
21st February, 2011
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4763 Reads
Giants coach Kevin Sheedy and Israel Folau take the stage during the Greater Western Sydney unveiling of its club name and colours at the Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney. Slattery Images

It may have literally been men against boys for GWS against Sydney and the Gold Coast, but don’t expect the Giants to play the role of little brother for too long. The doomsayers will point to the drubbing handed out by the Swans as evidence the AFL has made a giant sized blunder by placing a team in Sydney’s west. 

The cries of “what were they thinking” and “this will never work” will ring long and loud, but that would be to ignore the obvious signs that once again AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou has got it spot on.

By their second match against the Suns it was clear the young Giants are quick learners. They got on the scoreboard and did themselves proud.

It was a 100 per cent improvement from their first outing.

Blacktown Olympic Park was packed with fans wearing the orange colours of the Giants. The hill is a throwback to the glory days of football, before it became a raging business.

Don’t worry. The irony that the GWS Giants are about nothing but business isn’t lost on me.

It’s still encouraging, though, that the local community has already embraced this team. It was a crowd full of families in an area where the urban sprawl has given GWS the perfect market to pull from. If people are eager for something to do on a Saturday night, and by the evidence of the weekend they are, the AFL could provide the perfect tonic.

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One could argue that staying at Blacktown and not taking home matches to Homebush would be a smart move for now.

The Blacktown Olympic Park is located in the heart of their market. Homebush, in contrast, throws up all the challenges of going to a sporting event in Sydney. No-one likes to sit in a multi-level car park until 11pm waiting for the clutter to clear.

The big crowd also shows that perhaps humans are capable of liking the NRL and the AFL. Who would’ve thought! 

The other encouraging factor was the brief, and they were brief, moments of brilliance from some of the best young talents in the country. The will and drive was evident, even if the execution was sorely lacking.

A willingness to handball their way out of trouble led to some great drives forward. More experience will send the execution rate sky-rocketing. 

Don’t forget that coach Kevin Sheedy still has to go on his off-season shopping spree. 

The Suns took to the field with the likes of Josh Fraser, Campbell Brown and Michael Rischitelli in their line-up. They look ready for the AFL thanks to 12 more months of matches and practice. Knocking off the Swans proves that. GWS will follow the same development path before next February.

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The Giants will also get the chance to bolster their line-up with players of pedigree.

The AFL’s pockets are deep and Sheedy is a genius salesman. The lure of money and a premiership window will be too hard for some to ignore.

Just who will be their Gary Ablett jnr remains to be seen.

Add a good core of hardened AFL players to an exciting roster and Sheedy and his offsider, former Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams, have a competitive team on their hands.

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