Future GIANTS on show in nation’s capital

Schools from across southern NSW, Greater Western Sydney and the ACT travelled from far and wide to the nation’s capital this week to compete for the title of GIANTS Cup Northern Zone winner.

The GIANTS Cup is an exciting competition designed for secondary schools located within the GWS GIANTS talent zones.

There were three age brackets on show in Canberra on Wednesday with schools competing in the Under-15 Girls, Under-16 Boys and Opens Boys age groups.

The Under-15 Girls competition was close from the outset, with Trinity Canberra playing South Coast school Eden Marine High in the first game of the day. Eden managed the upset, winning by nine points.

Thomas Hassall Anglican School from western Sydney travelled down for the day and experienced a heartbreaking one-point loss against Eden in the second game, but got their win against Trinity in the final game by 13 points.

The Grand final came down to Eden against Thomas Hassall, with the girls from Eden winning the final 2.4.16 to 1.1.7.

Four schools were contending for the Under-16 Boys title, with students from Canberra Grammar School, St John the Evangelist Catholic High School in Nowra, The Hills Sports High from Seven Hills in Sydney and St Stanislaus, Bathurst all playing for the chance to represent the region in the State Finals.

The boys from Canberra Grammar did the ACT proud, winning their first match by 29 points. However they were unlucky in their second match of the day, losing by a single point .

The title eventually went to The Hills Sport High, who put on an impressive display to beat St Stanislaus in the Grand Final 7.8.50 to 3.3.21.

With just three teams fighting for the Opens Boys title, Canberra’s own Erindale College played their first game like a final, beating Shoalhaven side Bomaderry High School by 101 points – an impressive feat considering each game consisted of just twenty-minute halves. 

John Therry Catholic High School from Rosemeadow in Sydney were also ruthless in their game against Bomaderry, winning by 53 points.

Erindale and John Therry went straight through to the Grand Final with the title to be decided over four quarters.

The score line didn’t do John Therry justice, with the Sydney school hard at the ball and worthy contenders but in the end they were no match for Erindale who ran away to a huge 14.12.96 to 1.1.7 victory.

All three winners from the day will now progress to the State Final, held in Sydney next month.