A special connection between the GIANTS and one of the biggest rock bands of all time took centre stage at ENGIE Stadium on Thursday night at Pearl Jam’s Sydney concert.

Performing the final leg of their Dark Matter World Tour in front of a sold-out ENGIE Stadium- the home of the GIANTS- Pearl Jam and their famed front man Eddie Vedder took time to thank the GIANTS for their support in a cause close to Vedder’s heart.

Earlier this year the GIANTS partnered with EB Research Partnership (EBRP), a charity dedicated to funding research to treat and cure the rare life-threatening children’s skin disease Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).    

Founded in 2010 by Vedder and his wife Jill alongside a group of dedicated parents, EBRP is the largest global organisation dedicated to funding research to treat and cure EB. 

Lethal for many of the children born with it, EB damages not just the skin we see but the connective tissues and organs inside the body. It results in wounds that never heal, disfigurement, blisters, bleeding, and ever-present pain.   

The GIANTS partnership with EBRP saw the club proudly display the charity’s logo on the front of their playing shorts for the first half of the 2024 season.

The club also dedicated its round 23 clash with Fremantle at ENGIE Stadium to raising crucial funds for those battling EB, with some GIANTS players also visiting Sydney Children’s Hospital that week to mingle with children effected by the disease. 

In the middle of Thursday’s huge sell-out show, Vedder took time to thank the GIANTS for their support towards the cause.

“We have great volunteers [at EBRP] and they are helping incredible families,’ Vedder told the crowd on Thursday night.

“And one of the people that reached out and got in touch was the people that run this team, the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS.

“And before you know it they had an event in August, they highlighted EB and brought the kids down, the players took time to meet them, some of the players went down to Sydney Children Hospital, and it was more than we could have ever asked for.

“It’s a tricky disease, because it’s hard to see young people suffering, so you’ve got to have guts and strength to deal with this. And I tell you, all the guys on your team [GIANTS] have guts and strength and they are tough.

“You see that logo on the shorts and the EB with the butterfly [logo], they’ve done that to give us recognition in this country, in this city. This great city and this great oval. So again, I want to say thank you, thank you so much. I would have never expected to it. This song goes out to them, and all of you, who keep the faith.”

Vedder proceeded to thank GIANTS CEO David Matthews for the club’s support before the Pearl Jam frontman donned a GIANTS’ hat for the final song of his brilliant Sydney show.

Vedder’s final show of appreciation saw him share a post-show moment backstage with Matthews, GIANTS coach Adam Kingsley, and star former captain Callan Ward.