Son of the West, a GIANT Success

By Jack McAnespie

He’s still a son of the west, but this year it’s a different town that Dylan Addison calls home. One of a number of mature aged recruits snared by the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS over the off-season, Addison has returned to the western suburbs of Sydney, where he was born and raised.

Addison, 26, last week arrived back at Panania Primary School, where the former Bulldog received his early education.

Situated in the south-west of Sydney, Panania Public School is a school brimming with a love of sport, and a holistic approach to education, according to Mr Brett Dodd, a former teacher of Addison.

Addison had the chance to catch up with Mr Dodd, who was keen to underline Dylan’s outstanding character.

“He was a great student, a great sportsperson, he was a prefect… more than anything, without embarrassing him too much, he displayed a lot of sportsmanship – win or lose. And the way he treated everyone with respect… he really added to the school spirit,” Dodd said.

“It’s a special day for me… reminiscing about my time at Panania. Back in the day it was good fun… some things that pop into mind were the old pizza rounders, maybe some chicken popcorn,” Addison said.

“The diet has changed since then,” he laughed.

The Giants have enjoyed a positive start to season 2014 with the aid of Addison and fellow mature recruits, Josh Hunt (Geelong), Heath Shaw (Collingwood), Shane Mumford (Sydney) and Jed Lamb (Sydney). They’ll be looking to improve their 1-1 record this week against Melbourne at home on Sunday, following a win over cross-town rivals, the Swans in Round 1, and a narrow loss to St. Kilda last week.

To see the video of Dylan’s visit to his former school, visit www.gwsgiants.com.au