The GIANTS are going ok. Really ok actually.
In recent years it has felt good to watch this passionate little Western Sydney team fly under the radar. Akin to the Swans era of 2003-2004 when the Melbourne-dominated AFL media hadn’t quite cottoned on that something serious was brewing, and many of the footballerazzi famously wrote Sydney off as wooden spoon contenders at the start of 2005. Didn’t quite work out that way.
By contrast, with a record five wins in a row it’s been increasingly hard to keep things quiet down at GWS, as even the naysayers are finally admitting that for now at least, the GIANTS have almost deserved to jump up two ladder places, and pass over our cross-town red and white rivals, into third position. Oooh it looks good from up here I tell yas. On a clear day I can almost see the harbour bridge!
But does that suggest I agree with the Suns coach Rodney ‘Rocket’ Eade who considers the GIANTS are on their way to the last day in September? On this, I’m probably more in the Leon Cameron camp: definitely not a given, and lots of hard work to go etc. etc. Nevertheless most of us fans agree that a decent first taste of finals experience in 2016 will do GWS wonders and bode well for the future.
After missing the second annual Hawthorn dismemberment two weeks back, I assured the world I would not miss this next GWS home game at Spotless Stadium, a ground nestled quietly in the corner of Sydney’s Olympic Park which of course is actually located in Central, not Western Sydney (another argument for another day). I lived up to my word – grabbed the kids, bribed them with potential ice cream, and took them for the ride of their little lives.
Driving down from the Blue Mountains to the game, I enjoyed reminding my snotty wee bairns about all the terrifying mythical creatures of Mummy and Jezza, and Coggsy and Cal, and how our Russian mazurka club song goes, and why Dylan Shiel was ready for another best on ground. But for the first time I also got to introduce them to the new heroes: ‘the Hopper’ (Jacob Hopper, aged 19, on debut) and ‘the Bear’ (Tim Mohr finally returning from about 1900 serious injuries) and they sure did enjoy these colourful additions to the Pantheon. Happily both players did not disappoint: Mohr was in all the right places with a dominant backline fist, and as I write, just heard Hopper deservedly got the Round 8 rising star nomination. This for a classy 32 disposals and also – possibly no one except me and his grandma noticed – a precisely honed dacking of Gary Ablett Jr. Now that’s a quality baton change if ever there was one.
The game? Highly entertaining for us GWS fans, and perhaps a touch duller for everyone else. You probably knew already, we smashed ‘em. Unlike last week where a humbled GIANTS limped across the line against a worthy opponent in Fremantle, no obvious flaws were on display this evening. Except perhaps kicking accuracy in front of goal. This would possibly improve if Stevie J desisted in Glasgow kissing his fellow forwards (Palmer) in the goal square. Great defence. Seven freaky (as usual) Jezza snaggies, and a good spread of style amongst the other forwards. But also more and more and more of that lovely bubbling running swirl of half backs and midfielders, dripping with passion and fire and handball and spice and all AFL things very very nice.
I’m not the first to say it, but this is a tale of two development models: The GIANTS took the time to create a team, while the Suns created an Ablett support service. We GIANTS fans suffered in the early years, but this year, every time a Victorian whinges about the Academies, it proves Kevin Sheedy left us with one final beautiful bulging time bomb. And despite a few challenging games for the Giants coming up over the next few weeks, the AFL world already knows, the future is shaping up to be one big bad GIANTS KABOOM!
Chris Dubrow is a passionate GWS GIANTS member from Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. He plays loud alt-rock music, loves twitter (@chrisdubrow) and works in IT and Law.
More stories and other fan-writing can be found on the GIANTS page at www.footyalmanac.com.au
