Giants sitting pretty for draft day

Updated October 09, 2012 16:06:53

Greater Western Sydney will have the first three picks in November's AFL national draft and five of the first 13 after further boosting its stocks in a trade with Melbourne.

The deal delivered Northern Territory speedster Dominic Barry to the Demons and the right to recruit exciting 17-year-old Western Australian power forward Jesse Hogan, along with draft pick number 20 from the Giants.

Melbourne gave up draft picks three and 13 in return, still leaving them with number four, which the club has been trying to use to snare Collingwood pair Chris Dawes and Sharrod Wellingham.

The imposing Hogan, already 195cm and 97.4kg, will have to spend next year in the VFL under rules governing the select group of four 17-year-olds the Giants were able to trade away this year and last.

Barry, who was able to be traded by the Giants under their NT zone concession, has been playing with North Ballarat in the TAC Cup under-18 competition.

The Giants, who already had the number one pick as wooden spooners, picked up the number two choice on Monday in a deal which gave Gold Coast the right to draft 17-year-old Jack Martin.

They also gained the 12th pick from St Kilda as part of a deal to net the Saints 21-year-old key forward Tom Lee.

It means GWS now has picks one, two, three, 12 and 13.

The Giants engineered a similar scenario last year, when they also used recruiting concessions designed to help them gain experienced players from other AFL clubs to instead snare 11 of the first 14 picks in the national draft.

"We are focused on securing the best young talent available to ensure the long-term success of the Giants," GWS list manager Stephen Silvagni said.

"To have five of the first 13 selections, on top of the 11 first-round picks we had last year, puts us in the position to build on an already exciting young list."

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, blacktown-2148, nsw, australia

First posted October 09, 2012 15:56:05

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Giants set to announce Sheedy succession

Updated October 03, 2012 20:49:30

The legendary coaching career of Kevin Sheedy appears to have an end point, with Greater Western Sydney expected to announce a succession plan.

On Thursday, the Giants are set to confirm Leon Cameron as their new assistant coach and he will also eventually take over from Sheedy in the senior role.

That will probably happen in 2014.

While nothing would surprise with Sheedy, he will turn 66 at the end of next year.

The Giants gave Sheedy a one-year contract extension in August and soon after senior assistant Mark Williams left the Giants for a development role at Richmond.

The club stated that Williams was leaving one year before his contract expired for family reasons, but Sheedy conceded his reappointment for 2013 may have had a bearing on Williams' exit.

"That decision has probably frustrated him," Sheedy said last month.

Williams' departure opened up a spot and Cameron, currently an assistant at Hawthorn, flew to Sydney on Wednesday for talks with the Giants.

It has since emerged that Cameron's appointment will have far bigger implications, with the Giants deciding he will also be the man to succeed Sheedy.

This would be Cameron's first AFL senior coaching appointment.

Cameron had been the favourite to take the senior coaching position at Port Adelaide.

Power football manager Peter Rohde says the club may be forced to return to the drawing board.

"We interviewed him formally on Monday and we were a fair way down the path with him, but he's obviously got another offer on the table so we'll see how that unfolds," he said.

Sheedy has an iconic status in the game for his many achievements.

He started his senior coaching career at Essendon in 1981 and had an epic 27-year reign at the Bombers.

Sheedy masterminded the end of their 19-year premiership drought with the 1984 flag.

He also coached them to the 1985, 1993 and 2000 premierships.

Apart from his coaching ability, Sheedy became one of the game's biggest personalities with his left-field thinking, dry sense of humour and ability to promote the game.

The famed "back pocket plumber" in his playing days at the Tigers was also never afraid to ruffle feathers with his comments.

He played a pivotal role in bringing more indigenous Australian players into the AFL.

Essendon decided not to renew Sheedy's contract, although he stayed until the end of the 2007 season.

In late 2009, he signed a three-year deal to coach the Giants, the AFL's newest team.

He was the perfect choice to be the inaugural coach of a club trying to establish themselves in a region without a traditional AFL background.

While the Giants have not been successful on the field, Sheedy's personality and flair for publicity have made him their top marketing tool.

Sheedy has coached 657 AFL matches, putting him third on the all-time list behind Jock McHale and Mick Malthouse.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, blacktown-2148

First posted October 03, 2012 20:49:30

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Giants lose McDonald, Cornes to play on

Updated September 05, 2012 11:58:40

Greater Western Sydney's playing assistant coach James McDonald has announced his retirement but fellow veteran Chad Cornes will play on again next season.

Former Melbourne stalwart McDonald was delisted by the Demons in 2010 after 251 games for the club.

But the 35-year-old midfielder was coaxed out of retirement by the Giants and played 13 games in 2012 in conjunction with his role as assistant coach.

Giants football manager Graeme Allan praised McDonald's contribution to the club.

"James' experience, leadership and on-field presence have been invaluable to our young playing group and he has shown everyone that he still had good football left in him," Allan said in a statement.

"We now look forward to him becoming a full-time assistant coach next year and further developing our young playing list."

Allan confirmed that Chad Cornes would play on in 2013 but said a decision on the playing futures of Luke Power and Dean Brogan had yet to be made.

Meanwhile, Stephen Clifton and Tim Segrave have both been delisted by the club.

Clifton played five senior games for the Giants, while Segrave failed to make an appearance after both were selected as part of the 2011 Rookie Draft.

"These are always difficult decisions but particularly so in the cases of outstanding young men like Steve and Tim who have been great people to have around our club," Allan said.

"They were part of the inaugural playing list of the Giants and will always have a special place in the history of this club and we wish them every success for the future."

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, blacktown-2148, nsw, australia

First posted September 05, 2012 11:53:29

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Magpies embarrass Giants

Updated July 28, 2012 20:20:27

Collingwood reinforced Greater Western Sydney's standing as a minnow of the AFL with a convincing 120-point victory at Sydney's Olympic Park on Saturday evening.

The Magpies experienced little trouble from the Giants, running out comfortable winners 26.18 (174) to 7.12 (54).

Travis Cloke put the distraction of his contract negotiations to the side to boot a season-high six goals for the Magpies, while reigning Brownlow medallist Dane Swan added five majors, as well as posting 38 disposals.

With the exception of the fledging moments of the match, the Magpies' dominance was rarely called into question.

They swept the ball from one end of the field to the other with ease, often with Swan either starting or finishing with the ball.

Swan, fresh from tallying 49 disposals in last week's loss to Hawthorn, also managed five clearances.

Considering the Giants had dropped their past four matches by an average margin of 117.5 points prior to Saturday's fixture, a 69-point margin at three-quarter time looked relatively respectable.

But Swan was having none of it.

He kicked three final-quarter goals in the space of five minutes to boost the Magpies' lead into the sort of percentage-boosting range many were expecting.

The Giants' near impossible task was made more difficult before the match even started, with veteran Chad Cornes a late scratching due to a virus.

The hosts started with promise and the first two goals of the matches came through Devon Smith, but it was always a question of when, not if, the Magpies would seize control of the contest.

Pendlebury, who recovered from a knee to the back from Jeremy Cameron in a second-quarter marking contest, finished with 33 possessions and eight clearances.

Dayne Beams, Heath Shaw and Cloke were also heavily influential in the drubbing.

For the Giants, Cameron kicked two goals and continued to look the goods while clutching seven marks, ruck/forward Jonathan Giles was a physical presence all day and on-ballers Adam Treloar and Toby Greene toiled manfully.

Collingwood: 26.18 (174) - T Cloke 6, D Swan 5, D Beams 2, C Dawes 2, J Elliott 2, T Goldsack 2, J Blair, A Fasolo, N Maxwell, C Mooney, H Shaw, B Sinclair, C Tarrant

Greater Western Sydney: 7.12 (54) - D Smith 3, J Cameron 2, J Giles, R Palmer

AAP/ABC

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, homebush-2140

First posted July 28, 2012 19:24:47

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Giants push Tigers all the way

Updated June 16, 2012 18:44:55

Greater Western Sydney delivered a four-quarter performance but Richmond took the points with a two-goal win over the Giants in the wet in Sydney on Saturday.

The Giants stayed in contention for most of the day with fierce tackling and making the most of their scoring opportunities before the Tigers steadied to win 11.20 (86) - 12.2 (74).

Richmond had nearly double the number of forward 50 entries than GWS - 66-35 - but the Giants' defence handled the attacks well, and the home side out-tackled the Tigers by 87-69.

The Giants' James McDonald told Grandstand that the team had focused on fighting the game out to the end after some second-half fade-outs in recent weeks.

"Obviously against Essendon and Geelong the two previous games we were good for a half and then fell away," McDonald said.

"It was disappointing we didn't get the win in the end, but the boys will get a lot of confidence for playing four quarters out."

GWS's number one draft pick, Jonathon Patton, took a couple of strong contested marks and kicked his first AFL goal, while the Giants' other young gun Jeremy Cameron kicked three to give the home fans hope.

McDonald said the Giants were excited about the development of Cameron, who kicked five goals against the Western Bulldogs earlier this season.

"They're like rare as hen's teeth, (if) you can find big blokes who can take marks and kicks goals," he said.

"He (Cameron) has got a lot of weight to put on ... but he's got a lot of upside, he's got a big future ahead of him."

The Tigers had a 14-point lead at quarter time in wet and slippery conditions, and were expected to go on with the job.

However the Giants kicked three goals to two in the second term to hold Richmond to a nine-point lead at half-time.

A small crowd of 7,358 at the Sydney Olympic Showgrounds were given hope as the Giants got within a goal late in the final quarter, but majors to Jack Riewoldt and Daniel Connors clinched the win for the visitors.

The Tigers could have a couple of injury concerns, with Trent Cotchin being treated off the ground for a leg injury before returning to sit in the forward line, while defenders Alex Rance and Jake King were shaken up during the game in separate contests.

GIANTS: 12.2 (74) - Cameron 3, Greene 2, Palmer 2, McDonald, Patton, Phillips, Schulz, Shiel.

TIGERS: 11.20 (86) - Connors 3, Riewoldt 3, S Edwards 2, Cotchin, Deledio, Jackson.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

First posted June 16, 2012 17:48:36

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Tigers name Riewoldt to face Giants

Updated June 14, 2012 20:57:35

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has praised forward Jack Riewoldt's dedication after going without sleep to give himself every chance of playing against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday.

Riewoldt has been named in the Tigers' squad for the match at Sydney's Olympic Park despite an ankle injury sustained last weekend against Fremantle.

He strapped up the ankle and kept playing, though his impact was limited and he looked at long odds to take on the Giants.

But Hardwick says Riewoldt is an almost certain starter as a result of getting up during the night for several days this week to keep icing his ankle.

"We're very, very confident he'll play, which is a great credit to Jack and the work he's put in to get himself available for this game," Hardwick said.

"It's been a great lesson for our younger players - how much you put into it.

"He's been sleeping about three hours on and off and icing it every three hours."

But the Tigers will be without first-year revelation Steven Morris (shoulder), with Daniel Connors selected for his first senior match of the season as the defender's replacement.

Forward Ty Vickery has also been left out, the Tigers saying he has a leg injury.

The Giants have also been forced into several changes, with consistent ruckman Jonathan Giles out with calf soreness but experienced Dean Brogan replacing him after recovering from injury.

And number one draft pick Jonathon Patton has been named as expected for his AFL debut despite an injury scare at training on Wednesday.

The Giants say 19-year-old man mountain Patton is a certain starter.

St Kilda brings back rebounding defender Sam Fisher and ruckman Ben McEvoy from injury for its match with Adelaide at Football Park on Friday night.

Fisher, who has been missing with a hamstring injury, and McEvoy (knee) have been named in the Saints' side to take on the high-flying Crows.

The hosts will be without Graham Johncock, who was ruled out been ruled out with a back complaint.

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has wielded the axe, making four changes for the Kangaroos match against Gold Coast at Carrara on Saturday night and recalling forward Lindsay Thomas.

Aaron Edwards, Cruize Garlett, Luke and Cameron Delaney have all been dropped.

Mature-age rookie Sam Gibson will make his AFL debut for the Kangaroos after some impressive reserves form and his promotion from the rookie list this week.

The winless Suns have also axed four players and lost experienced Campbell Brown to a knee injury, with ruckman Zac Smith among those recalled.

Brisbane will be without three-time premiership player Simon Black for Sunday's encounter with Hawthorn at the MCG, as he is unavailable for another week, while Ash McGrath is sidelined with a knee injury.

Ruckman Ben Hudson has been named in the Lions' preliminary squad and should he see match time, he will chalk up his 150th senior appearance, having previously had stints at Adelaide and Western Bulldogs.

Derick Wanganeen is in line to make his senior debut for the Hawks after being included in their provisional squad.

Brendan Whitecross has been ruled out with a hip injury.

Port Adelaide added Matt Thomas, Matthew Lobbe and Tom Logan to its extended squad to meet the Bulldogs at Docklands in Sunday's twilight fixture.

The Bulldogs will be without Daniel Pearce because of a hip injury.

AAP/ABC

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, richmond-3121

First posted June 14, 2012 20:49:58

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Giants' Shiel named Rising Star nominee

Updated June 05, 2012 09:45:08

Dylan Shiel has become the fourth Greater Western Sydney player to earn a Rising Star nomination after picking up the award for Round 10.

Shiel turned in an impressive performance in the Giants' 65-point loss to Geelong at Kardinia Park, finishing with 21 possessions, five tackles, three clearances and two goals.

Giants coach Kevin Sheedy said the hard-working Shiel has developed into a key player after featuring in nine of the Giants' 10 games played.

"After an injury interrupted preseason, Dylan has shown the great talent we knew he had when we selected him and he has been one of the keys in our midfield along with Callan Ward, Tom Scully, Stephen Coniglio. Toby Greene and Taylor Adams," Sheedy said.

A talented Victorian junior, Shiel joins Giants team-mates Jeremy Cameron, Tomas Bugg and Stephen Coniglio in earning a Rising Star nomination this season.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, blacktown-2148, nsw, australia

First posted June 05, 2012 09:42:45

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Cats outlast impressive Giants

Updated June 02, 2012 18:27:25

The newcomers from Greater Western Sydney hung tough with the defending premiers before fading out in a 65-point loss to Geelong at Kardinia Park on Saturday afternoon.

Scores were tied at 26 apiece after the first term and 45 each by the main break before the Cats opened the throttle and raced away from the Giants to record a 19.12 (126) to 9.7 (61) victory.

Midfielder James Kelly starred in the bleak conditions for Geelong with 32 possessions, although he will come under video scrutiny for a bump on Toby Greene in the third quarter.

All-Australian key defender Harry Taylor started forward for Geelong in the absence of Tom Hawkins and finished with six goals in his 100th game.

Taylor had only kicked nine goals in his AFL career before this match.

"Amazing effort wasn't it?" Taylor's usual defensive wingman Tom Lonergan told Grandstand.

"Hopefully he comes back down because we need him back down there too but superb effort by him in his 100th game.

"If we can add Hawk [injured forward Tom Hawkins] to that forward line we can be pretty potent I think."

Steve Johnson returned to his usual role up front and kicked five goals.

Midfielder Dylan Shiel was best for the Giants with two goals and 21 touches.

Geelong made three late changes, bringing to five the number of players who came into the team.

Corey Enright (foot), Joel Corey (shoulder) and Daniel Motlop (shoulder) were late withdrawals, joining Tom Hawkins (knee) and Jonathan Simpkin on the sidelines for the match.

The league's newest team kicked the opening three goals and led for all but five minutes in the first half.

"We knew that they were going to come out pretty hard," Lonergan said.

"They've been taught the right way to play footy and they're a hard contested side.

"They're going to be a great team in a couple of years' time."

Rising Star nominees Jeremy Cameron and Stephen Coniglio were prominent early as the Giants had Geelong in trouble.

The Cats were unbackable favourites against Greater Western Sydney, which has won only once in its debut season, but the home side struggled to take control.

The Giants' defensive efforts were particularly strong and they never let the Cats break the game open.

After only kicking seven goals against Essendon last week, the visitors had kicked that many by half-time.

But the key statistics showed the Cats were not playing horribly and, perhaps predictably, they went up a gear in the third term against the inexperienced opposition.

Geelong poured on 6.5 to 1.2 in the third term to restore order, and Matthew Scarlett went onto Cameron and restricted him to one possession in the second half.

Giants midfielder Jacob Townsend suffered a heavy hit to the mouth in the second term and was subbed out of the match.

The Cats had bad news earlier on Saturday when highly-rated youngster Daniel Menzel was taken off on a stretcher in the VFL curtain-raiser with a serious knee injury.

It was Menzel's comeback game from a right knee reconstruction and it appears he will need the same operation on his left knee.

Surgery would put Menzel out of action for the rest of the season.

"I just got out of my car in the car park and a supporter just said Dan Menzel's just done his knee and I was shattered," Lonergan said.

"He's been working really hard in the gym and out on the track and first game back for that to happen is just demoralising."

Geelong: 19.12 (126) - Taylor 6, Johnson 5, Podsiadly 3, Chapman 2, Stringer, Guthrie, Stephenson

Greater Western Sydney: 9.7 (61) - Cameron 2, Treloar 2, Shiel 2, Coniglio, Ward

ABC/AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, geelong-3220, vic, blacktown-2148, nsw, australia

First posted June 02, 2012 16:30:43

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Bombers burn Giants on home debut

Updated May 26, 2012 23:14:29

Essendon claimed top spot on the ladder with a 66-point win over Greater Western Sydney on Saturday night, but it was nowhere as easy a triumph as the margin suggests.

A one-sided second-half helped the Bombers ease to a 18.11 (119) to 7.11 (53) victory in the maiden match at Skoda Stadium, the revamped showground facility at Sydney Olympic Park.

James Hird's charges were put under immense pressure by the league's newcomers for large sections of the opening half.

The Bombers lead at half-time was still a comfortable 28 points - the advantage coming from clinical work in the forward line and the Giants' contrasting profligacy at the other end.

The Giants had more scoring shots than the Bombers at the major break but only two goals to show for it.

Remarkably the Giants had registered nine behinds before its first goal at home in the 19th minute of the second quarter when Dylan Shiel sprinted into the goalsquare unopposed.

Adam Treloar had another major with 46 seconds remaining in the second term to conjure memories of round three this year, when the Bombers flirted with disaster in a 17-point win over expansion side Gold Coast.

But unfortunately for Kevin Sheedy his side could not maintain the attack on the ball after half-time when there was even more space opening up for the likes of Stewart Crameri and Alwyn Davey to run into.

Sheedy may have been dealt an 11-goal loss in his first match against the club he coached for 27 seasons, but it was a result with positives.

Jeremy Cameron continued his strong season with three goals and a couple of spectacular efforts, while fellow young guns Treloar (25 disposals, six tackles) and Shiel (21 disposals, six tackles) were also among the Giants' best.

The biggest disappointment for the new club came off the field - an underwhelming crowd of 11,887.

The Bombers booted 5.7 in the third term to take control of the contest and slotted another five goals in the final quarter.

Crameri, Davey and Tom Bellchambers all kicked three goals, with Angus Monfries kicking two and Ben Howlett, who was slated to start as the substitute until the last minute scratching of Kyle Hardingham (calf), had 27 disposals while David Zaharakis had a game-best 32.

Bombers: 18.11 (119) - T Bellchambers 3, S Crameri 3, A Davey 3, P Ryder 2, A Monfries 2, J Watson, D Zaharakis, T Colyer, J Melksham, M Hurley.

Giants: 7.11 (53) - J Cameron 3, J Giles, J McDonald, D Shiel, A Treloar.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, homebush-2140, nsw, australia, essendon-3040, vic

First posted May 26, 2012 22:40:19

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Giants vow to continue to tie down talent

Updated May 17, 2012 22:26:47

Greater Western Sydney chief executive Dave Matthews has fired the first shot in the club's battle to retain their young talent, re-signing five players until the end of 2015.

Dylan Shiel, Tom Bugg, Adam Tomlinson, Matt Buntine and Adam Kennedy all agreed on terms to stay with the competition newcomers for the next three seasons.

While all the talk is about GWS trying to lure star recruits to Sydney, the club will soon become the hunted when rivals swarm to sign up their prized talent on initial two-year draftee contracts.

Matthews is confident others are poised to follow Thursday's quintet.

"We have got a number of discussions progressing at the moment and we hope to have further announcements in the coming week," Matthews said.

"It's an absolute priority for us to secure the ongoing commitment of the young talent that we have."

It's testament to the club's welfare department that Shiel - a 19-year-old former Carlton supporter who studied at Caulfield Grammar, the same school Chris Judd attended - already feels like western Sydney is home.

"Our investment in welfare has been significant. Breakfast Point has been a great strategy, but the staff in and around the football department and the club have given these young players and their families great comfort," Matthews said.

Shiel, who was pre-listed by the club in 2010, suggested he wanted to be a one-club player.

"(Giants' sports science guru) John Quinn told me it takes about two years to get used to a new home," Shiel said.

"It definitely takes time, but this feels like home for me.

"(Friends in Melbourne) like to stir me up a little bit, but I've told them I'm very happy here and I plan to be a Giant for life."

GWS coach Kevin Sheedy said his club would continue to rotate draftees in and out of the team - to keep them fresh and spread experience evenly.

"We're trying to give players as many games as possible. We feel it will be great for their confidence and their belief," Sheedy said.

"We want 80 to 90 per cent of the list to get a game or more this year. That's a pretty good start ... whereas maybe if they were at another club, they might not have even played a game."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000, blacktown-2148

First posted May 17, 2012 17:54:46

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Giants stun Suns for first win

Updated May 12, 2012 17:41:58

A magnificent fourth-quarter effort gave the Greater Western Sydney Giants their first AFL victory, downing the Gold Coast Suns by 27 points in Canberra.

Less than a kick separated the sides for much of the final term until Adam Treloar, Jonathan Giles and Jeremy Cameron combined to kick four goals with less than four minutes on the clock to give the Giants a memorable 13.16 (94) to 9.13 (67) triumph.

The Suns' six-goal second quarter seemed likely to give last year's new boys victory, but Kevin Sheedy's charges responded with vigour.

"This is a terrific effort from a group of players who have only been together three or four months," Sheedy told Grandstand.

"It's just been tremendous camaraderie from the whole playing group, the experienced players and the young players, we've never doubted ourselves."

The victory was the 387th of Sheedy's career and moves him back ahead of Mick Malthouse into second in the all-time wins' list behind legendary Collingwood coach Jock McHale.

"It's a very exciting moment," Sheedy said. "I've obviously played and coached at clubs over 100 years of age - we've not even had 100 hours in match play."

The Giants coach, who guided his men to their first win in the club's seventh AFL match, had dubbed the likely wooden-spoon derby the "battle of the babies".

It was the Giants who opened the match in better form, booting four goals to one to go up by 17 points at the first break.

But by half-time, the Suns had secured a 13-point lead after kicking six goals to one.

An even third quarter had the game up for grabs as the two hunkered down for the final term before the Giants pulled away.

In a real team effort, the Giants' dominance in the contested possessions proved crucial as well as their superior ball use - with nine players managing over 20 disposals.

Suns captain Gary Ablett, returning to the game after a knee injury, led the way with 33 disposals but seemed to tire late in the fourth quarter and none of his team-mates could pick up the slack.

Chad Cornes was supreme in defence for GWS taking 12 marks and gathering 28 disposals, ruckman Giles led superbly with three goals and Stephen Coniglio was pivotal with a team-leading 31 disposals in the midfield.

Giants: 13.16 (94) - Giles 3, D Smith 2, Sumner, Coniglio, Ward, Cameron, Shiel, Townsend, Treloar, Tyson.

Suns: 9.13 (67) - Caddy 2, Day 2, Bennell, Iles, Horsley, Swallow, Rischitelli.

ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000, blacktown-2148, canberra-2600, robina-4226

First posted May 12, 2012 16:27:20

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Giants confirm O'hAilpin ACL injury

Updated May 07, 2012 16:38:08

Greater Western Sydney forward Setanta O'hAilpin's season is in doubt after the club announced on Monday that he had suffered a ruptured ACL.

O'hAilpin went down in the third quarter of the Giants' loss to his old side Carlton at Docklands on Sunday afternoon.

Scans on Monday confirmed the damage and the club said the 29-year-old Irishman will meet surgeons later in the week to determine how best to proceed.

The Giants also lost ruckman Dean Brogan to a right arm complaint after he was injured in a contest with Heath Scotland in the 67-point defeat.

Brogan also underwent scans on Monday but the extent of the damage is as yet unknown.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, blacktown-2148

First posted May 07, 2012 16:35:39

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Carlton finishes off brave Giants

Updated May 06, 2012 19:32:44

Carlton produced a solid but uninspiring performance to beat a stubborn Greater Western Sydney side by 67 points at Docklands on Sunday.

Coach Brett Ratten would not have given his players many style points for their display, but the Blues held their composure and kicked away in the second half to win 15.20 (110) to 6.7 (43).

Carlton forward Eddie Betts - who played his 150th game against GWS - told Grandstand that the Blues were happy to have ground out after a poor first-half effort.

"The first half I think most of us weren't running as hard (as we should),'' Betts said.

"We might have been playing for ourselves but we got a little bit of a spray, and after half-time we came out and ran, ran, ran, and tackled and got ourselves back into it.''

Betts was optimistic that Carlton still had potential to improve, even after an opening to the season where the team had won five out of the first six matches.

"We didn't play our best footy (today), I think we played our worst brand of footy for the year, apart from the Essendon game, so there's still a lot of improvement to go,'' he said.

Just as they did against the Bulldogs in round five, the Giants started strongly and kept with Carlton for the opening half.

Indeed the Blues appeared outdone for intensity at times, with players like Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene and Taylor Adams all having strong patches of play.

Debutant Liam Sumner kicked a first-half goal, while Setanta O'hAilpin enjoyed playing against his old side, kicking two goals for GWS.

Carlton's senior players steadied the ship in the third quarter, and the Blues consolidated their position to lead by 25 points at the final change.

The Blues ran freely in the final term, kicking 6.6 to no score to run out easy winners.

The Giants ran out of legs, finishing the game with only two players on the bench.

O'hAilpin finished the game on crutches after injuring his knee in the third quarter.

The AFL reported O'hAilpin's season could be over, amid fears the Irishman had torn his anterior cruciate ligament.

Earlier, GWS veteran ruckman Dean Brogan was subbed after injuring his arm in a contest with Carlton's Heath Scotland.

Carlton: 15.20 (110) - Thornton 3, Hampson 3, Lucas 2, Simpson 2, Walker 2, Robinson, Bower, Garlett.

GWS: 6.7 (43) - O'hAilpin 2, Davis 2, Sumner, Scully.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted May 06, 2012 15:54:58

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Opposing coaches back Giants

Updated February 20, 2012 08:45:24

The belief that Greater Western Sydney will struggle to win an AFL game this season came under fresh scrutiny after the Giants' competitive start to the preseason.

That the newcomers, with limited experience and potential more than polish, will finish dead last in their maiden season was considered a fait accompli a long time ago.

Over the past month the bar was lowered once again, with AFL legend Leigh Matthews the most notable to suggest GWS would be doing well to win one match in 2012.

On Saturday night the Giants were given their first chance to answer the critics on the field.

It was a response muffled by the fact the preseason contests featured 20-minute halves, and were devoid of a handful of Collingwood and Western Bulldogs stars.

Nonetheless, it was an answer of some sort - especially the three-point loss to the Magpies where Phil Davis was the only Giant with AFL experience to play.

"You've got to give credit to that group of young players," Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said.

"They could have easily won the Bulldogs game as well. So they'd be rapt with their performance."

Time will tell just how meaningful the Giants' competitive preseason losses were, but already Buckley suspects the likes of Matthews may have got it wrong.

"What you saw was great enthusiasm and exuberance from a young group of players," he said.

"The problem that you get with that over the course of a football season at an elite level ... is that you're going to get your ups and downs.

"(But) it was a one-on-one contested brand of football all over the ground, and if you can play that brand of footy, well then you can compete against anyone.

"So there's no reason why they can't compete well and compete hard, and win a few games. Their fair share of games."

Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney also praised the Giants after the Dogs' five-point win over the hosts.

"They were terrific. I think they showed with ball in hand what they're going to be. They were good around the ball, had some stronger bodies," McCartney said.

"They'll get better and they'll improve, and if you keep doing that - well the game takes care of itself."

GWS chief executive Dave Matthews was impressed with how his side performed in the spotlight.

"This is a group of guys who obviously don't read the papers," he said.

"The critics aren't inside the club, so they don't actually understand the sort of training and preparation.

"...We're hopeful that we can sneak in for a couple of wins.

"And more than anything, just show a lot of competitiveness and spirit like we did (on Saturday night)."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted February 20, 2012 08:43:14

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Goodes welcomes 'little brother' Giants

Updated December 02, 2011 18:43:33

Sydney co-captain Adam Goodes has welcomed the arrival of "little brother" Greater Western Sydney and the AFL limelight the new club has taken in the past few months.

Goodes, who is one week into his 15th preseason, boasts two Brownlow Medals and more sway than any other AFL player in Sydney.

Yet he, and the Swans, have taken a back seat to the Giants over the past few months.

It is a trend likely to continue ahead of their clash to open the 2012 season on March 24 - and that sits just fine with the Swans stalwart.

"I think it's great they're getting the attention," Goodes said.

"They need it. They need it for their membership ... and if it means we get a really big crowd for round one, it's fantastic."

Goodes, who hails from the South Australian town of Wallaroo, was hoping the teams could create a rivalry to match the Adelaide showdown.

"If we can create that sort of rivalry, it's going to be fantastic for both football clubs," he said.

"We are the sort of big brothers up here in Sydney. I've got two younger brothers and as a kid you always used to beat them in the games you play in the backyard.

"Hopefully that sort of rivalry - big brother, little brother - at the start can happen and we've got a lot of respect for them."

While Sydney's first match of the 2012 season has most fans' attention, it is round four that Goodes' mother Lisa Sansbury will be making the trip to watch.

Goodes will, barring injury or suspension, usurp good mate Michael O'Loughlin as the Swans' games record-holder when he plays North Melbourne at the SCG on April 22.

Goodes, who played his 300th AFL match against Hawthorn in a losing semi-final this year to be in touching distance of O'Loughlin's tally of 303, says he is yet to study the draw next year.

However his mum, who lives in country Victoria, certainly has.

"I asked her why she wanted to come up so early in the year (round four)," he said.

"She said, 'that's ... the game, (where) you might beat Micky O's record'.

"I said 'Oh. Yeah. Sweet. When we get there we'll get there'.

"She likes to plan these things in advance.

"Next year's got a lot of things to be excited for - individually and as a football club."

Lisa was Goodes' partner on the night he was presented with the 2003 Brownlow Medal.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, sydney-2000, blacktown-2148, nsw, australia

First posted December 02, 2011 18:43:33

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Giants lose chief executive

Updated October 27, 2011 19:47:32

Greater Western Sydney have been rocked by the sudden departure of chief executive Dale Holmes following board-room discussions over his future with the AFL club.

Media reports on Thursday afternoon said Holmes had been sacked after falling out with other board members.

But the Giants released a statement a few hours later claiming he had decided to resign.

The announcement is a massive blow to the credibility of the Giants, who are set to make their debut in the AFL next year.

The official draw will be announced on Friday for the 2012 season.

AFL national and international development general manager David Matthews has been appointed acting chief executive of GWS.

Thursday's dramatic departure of Holmes comes just a day after revelations the Giants had employed the father of star recruit and ex-Demon Tom Scully in a recruiting role.

The AFL has insisted Phil Scully's salary should be counted towards the club's salary cap.

It is not known if the Scully scandal played any role in the departure of Holmes.

Giants chairman Tony Shepherd said the board had been in discussions with Holmes "about the development of the club and Dale's future role with it".

"Dale has come to the conclusion that it is in his best interests and that of the club for him to move on and the board has accepted his resignation," Shepherd said.

"I would like to thank Dale most sincerely for the work he has done to establish the club since joining us in April, 2010."

Shepherd said Holmes had achieved many things at the club, including signing Scully, Callan Ward and Phil Davis and securing 11 of the first 14 selections in next month's National Draft.

Matthews will start his new role within the next few days.

"David is based in Sydney and in the early stages of the club's development, played a leading role in the signing of Kevin Sheedy as senior coach, the recruitment of Queensland and Australian rugby league representative Israel Folau and the appointment of Graeme Allan as general manager of football operations," Shepherd said.

"He has excellent credentials and the club greatly appreciates the AFL making David available as acting CEO while we begin to identify a new chief executive to continue the momentum into our first season."

The AFL is already facing a massive assignment sending a new team into the rugby league heartland of western Sydney and this week's dramas have heaped pressure on the Giants.

"Establishing a new AFL club to represent Greater Western Sydney is a big challenge and the players we will select at next month's draft in Sydney along with those we have already signed will form what we believe will develop into a very competitive team in the AFL competition over the next three to five years," Shepherd said.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, blacktown-2148, nsw, australia

First posted October 27, 2011 19:36:50

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Kevin Sheedy in Broken Hill - Giants 'may be' after Walker

Kevin Sheedy, the coach of new AFL outfit Greater Western Sydney, is in Broken Hill today encouraging support for his team and keeping an eye out for local talent.

On a trip that is taking in most of New South Wales and parts of the Northern Territory, Sheedy is spruiking his new club and connecting with junior and senior football leagues across the country.

He remained tight lipped about rumours his team are planning on making a bid for local talent, and current Crows player, Taylor Walker.

"Maybe our recruiting staff could be talking to his manager... but I would know more about that at the end of the season, on all the players off contract."

When it comes to players like Walker, Kevin is positive about The Giants' pulling power, saying "we've got a decent amount of money in our salary cap to go and find players off contract."

The west

Kevin Sheedy is hoping The Giants will be able to turn their large zone in regional New South Wales into a considerable support base of fans.

"Our zone really extends from the Homebush Olympic Stadium... and from there, right here to Broken Hill, down to Wentworth and right back to Eden and then goes up the coast of NSW to a little town called Berri.

"This first trip is about connecting with the people in our zone, particularly the junior footy league and the senior league here in Broken Hill."

Kevin says he's aware of the talent pool in Broken Hill and has had good fortune with local players in the past.

"Obviously I've had previous success with Dean Solomon out of Broken Hill; he was a marvellous player for the Bombers."

Wanting to distance his team from the struggling Gold Coast Suns who only had one year to recruit their squad, Kevin says The Giants still have plenty of time to make decisions regarding specific players.

Ultimately, he says, it is the sport of football itself that will be the big winner from new teams, such as Greater Western Sydney and the Gold Coast Suns, coming into the game.

"You know, having a new team come in in West Sydney, now that takes it up to about 800 contracts in AFL clubs and that's an amazing story in sport alone."

The Greater Western Sydney Giants will begin their first AFL preseason in February of 2012.

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Giants facing tough times

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 19/06/2011

GWS Giants are facing a tough battle off the field in western Sydney as they continue to struggle on the field.

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Folau finds feet for Giants

Published:Tuesday, May 31, 2011 7:23 AESTExpires:Monday, August 29, 2011 7:23 AEST

Former rugby league star Israel Folau has displayed improved form in the forward line for AFL newcomers Greater Western Sydney.

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Tags: australian-football-league, nrl, canberra-2600

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Giants secure points against Ainslie

Published:Saturday, April 9, 2011 7:23 AESTExpires:Friday, July 8, 2011 7:23 AEST

Star recruit for the Greater Western Sydney Giants, Israel Folau, has taken a less than starring role in his new adopted game.

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