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Greater Western Sydney ruckman Jonathan Giles confesses the move to Adelaide from South Australian country town Kapunda was pretty big for him.
So you can imagine how much of a challenge moving to Australia’s most populous city was for the 24 year old, looking to rejuvenate his AFL career at what will become the competition’s 18th club in 2012.
But 200-centimetre Giles is not afraid of making a big move to benefit his career, as he showed in 2009, transferring from SANFL powerhouse Central District to Sturt to take on the lead ruckman’s role with the Double Blues.
It was a gutsy move leaving the club to which he’d followed his brother David as a teenager, and where he’d won two premierships while trying to establish himself as an AFL player with Port Adelaide.
However, the move paid off, with Giles shining for Sturt, winning the club’s best and fairest and attracting the interest of the Giants.
Fast forward to this year and Giles is thriving on Sydney life, a city he laughingly described as “different to little old Adelaide”.
With the population and traffic significantly larger, Giles admits it took him some time to adapt.
However, he’s enjoying the lifestyle, along with the chance to play under one of the game’s greats in Kevin Sheedy, Greater Western Sydney coach.
“He’s got such a different look at football and so much knowledge,” Giles said.
“He’s never short of a story, which I’ve enjoyed.”
The other much discussed name at GWS is, of course, rugby league convert Israel Folau, and Giles has seen first hand his value to the game in that part of the world.
“(Being) from Adelaide, I didn’t know too much about him but he’s huge here,” Giles said.
“He’s like the Gary Ablett of rugby league and gets mobbed wherever he goes.
“People that don’t know AFL know Izzy and it’s been really great to get that exposure out here.”
While other youngsters his age had AFL stars as heroes, Giles looked up to his older brother David.
“I always looked up to my brother, he taught me a lot, along with my dad,” Giles said.
“My brother was always who I aspired to be.”
The sons of Libby and Ian were avid fans of the Kapunda Bombers and enjoyed nothing better than a day out at Dutton Park watching their heroes run around.
Joffa, as he is nicknamed, recalls doing everything from running drinks to manning the scoreboard, or just skylarking around giving the occasional verbal to the opposition.
Brother David still plays for the Bombers and while he obviously doesn’t get to many games any more, the now Sydney based Giles gets regular updates on the club’s results.
It is not only his brother who Giles speaks to on a regular basis but also his former under 15s coach Charlie Brown.
“He’s been very important in my life,” Giles said.
“There’s been some tough times and good times and he’s been behind me all the way.”
On the field and Giles is developing further as a player under the tutelage of Sheedy and former Power mentor Mark Williams.
The big man has worked harder to make more opportunities in the forward line, adding greater versatility to his game – an asset that has become significantly more important due to the substitution rule.
The Giants are currently sitting third on the ladder and have managed to knock off competition front runners (and soon to be AFL rivals) Sydney, a promising sign as the season builds towards the finals.
“We’re getting ready for next year and trying to gain as much (benefit) from this year so that we’re prepared,” Giles said.
“It’s such a young group that finals exposure would be invaluable.”
A strong finish to the year will also see Giles lifted from the GWS rookie list and gain a senior position for what will be a historic season for the fledgling club.
The Kapunda boy, as is his nature, isn’t counting his chickens just yet and is not pronouncing ownership of a position on the inaugural list – he’s just trying to make every kick count.
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