GWS GIANTS pre-season wrap

Battle lines are drawn

The Greater Western Sydney GIANTS and the Gold Coast Suns have established a fierce rivalry during their short time in the AFL and now they are taking it off the field.

GIANTS Head Coach Kevin Sheedy has thrown down a challenge to the Suns to see which club can be the first to sign up 10,000 members for 2013.

Sheedy and Suns coach Guy McKenna have agreed that the losing club’s coach will have to wear the other club’s coloured budgie smugglers along their local beach.

“I’m always up for a challenge and hopefully this will rally fans from both clubs to get on board and support their clubs in 2013,” Sheedy said.

“I might be about to turn 65 but I’m already doing an extra 1000 sit ups each day to make sure I’m in good shape. I’m confident our fans will ensure I won’t have to slip into red and gold budgie smugglers and it will be `Bluey’ showing off his true colours.”

Click here to watch Kevin Sheedy respond to Guy McKenna’s challenge

A GIANT Centenary in Canberra

The GIANTS will be hosting a number of blockbuster games in Canberra as part of the Centenary of Canberra celebrations.

The GIANTS will play four games at Manuka Oval including the first ever AFL game played under lights at the venue.

Andrew Barr, the Minister for sport in the ACT, is encouraging everyone in Canberra to make sure they support their local teams and show the rest of Australia that the ACT is a great destination for elite sport.

GIANTS co-captain Phil Davis was excited to meet the sporting crew and is looking forward to the four games in Canberra in 2013.

“We are very proud to call Canberra the home of the GIANTS and all of the boys are looking forward to the games at Manuka in 2013, especially when we get to run out under lights against the Bombers in the NAB Cup.”

GIANTS of India

After a few years of hard work to get Footy rolling in different parts of the country, finally AFL India successfully hosted the inaugural Aussie Rules tournament in India earlier this month, at Kozhikode, a southern Indian coastal city in the state of Kerala.

The tournament saw five teams – the Mahim Cats and Matunga Tigers from Mumbai, North Kozhikode Bombers and South Kozhikode GIANTS from Kozhikode and Madurai Kangaroos from Madurai, playing each other in a round robin format to qualify for the Grand Final.

A fantatsic show of skills and sportsmanship were on display as the players from different sporting and economic backgrounds and different age groups faced each other, all aiming to lift the first ever AFL India – OGM Cup, sponsored by Perth based mining company OGM, along with its Indian counterpart RP Group of Companies.

Eventually it was an all Kozhikode Grand Final, where the GIANTS were beaten in a close contest by the Bombers, who clinched the trophy.

Click here to read more about the tournament

Cameron a Giant in more ways than one

On the rise: Jeremy Cameron

At a glance: Arriving at Greater Western Sydney through the club’s 17-year-old access selections, Cameron was billed as a freakishly talented, but very raw, key position prospect. Making his debut in the club’s historic round-one match against the Swans, it was the following week when he announced himself to the AFL.

Twelve disposals, seven marks and four goals straight led to the Giants’ first ever NAB Rising Star nomination. By season’s end, Cameron had made 16 senior appearances and kicked a club-best 29 goals, including five against the Western Bulldogs in round five, resulting in a lofty third place in the club’s best and fairest. With a slightly awkward gait, Cameron is an unconventional footballer.

But the man from the tiny Victorian town of Dartmoor boasts outstanding athleticism, loves leaping over packs to take big grabs and is a critical element of the Giants’ forward set-up.

Plays like: If Cameron played at the other end of the ground, he would get regular comparisons to Essendon defender Dustin Fletcher. With his long, skinny limbs and ability to take a grab, Cameron has similar attributes to the veteran Bomber.

But he also possesses many of the traits valued by the best key forwards, including confidence, some cockiness and an impressive bag of tricks facing goal.

Click here to see why Jeremy Cameron is a GIANT to watch in 2013.

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