Giant Break

It’s been my lucky week.
I work as a casual relief teacher in NSW and the ACT and I’ve endured my fair share of visiting speakers and sports clinics.
This week I happened to be in a school that the GWS Giants were coming to and I had a grade that was attending their talk. Yay!

With all the year 4-6 students seated in the hall I prayed that the Giants would show up on time. They did. Being a GWS member, I took my cap along to show my support and had it autographed by the three young players who gave the talk. The players hailed from Culcairn, Lara and Melbourne. They spoke about their journeys from their home towns to play football for the Giants. The children asked their usual array of sensible and silly questions. I asked the players if they were pursuing studies other than football whilst at the Giants. They replied that in the first year, the focus is on just settling in at the club and after that some choose to study.

They mentioned the super clinic being run at Manuka Oval in the afternoon and as it was on my way home I decided to go along and check out the level of excitement.

Manuka oval always looks great. It’s the sort of ground that makes you want to run around on.

Young footy fans wearing their favourite AFL club jumpers drifted into the ground and mingled with the players. In Canberra I love the way footy fans who follow different AFL clubs all come together for the love of football. The Giants presence has now given us a common team to follow.

I took the opportunity to chat to several players including Israel Folau. I was mostly interested to find out how the young players were settling  into Sydney, having a son who’s just moved to Sydney from the country.  No complaints. One young country player described the place they live as “Kinda like a big resort.” They players I spoke to seemed relaxed and were enjoying life. They were obliging when signing autographs and were all looking forward to the main season beginning. Chad Cornes had his steely eyed game day face on so I refrained from asking him how Sydney compared to Adelaide.

 

It was a buzz to meet Izzy. He was very personable, has a great athletic physique and in my humble opinion, the best looking legs I’ve seen since Andrew McLeod’s. I admire him for taking on the challenge of switching codes and I hope he does well.

I also spent some time talking to Michelle the merchandise manager. She had previously worked for the Lions in Brisbane. The Giants had been to Albury and she said they had sold bucket loads of gear and sales were continuing. She said supporting  the Giants is all about having fun. As she was in the business of sales I  thought it prudent of me to leave her with a copy of the Footy Almanac. She said she had heard of the book and would be more than happy to spread the word for us. Her next stop is ANZ stadium in Sydney for the season opener on Saturday night. She’ll be out there and set up at 8 a.m on Saturday morning

On Saturday night I’ll be there as well, cheering for the Giants.

I’ll have my autographed cap and my focused Chad Cornes game day face on.

 

“Bounce the ball, let the season begin!”

 

Comments

  1. I am very concerned that you may have crossed the line Pamela.

    Are you a closet Sheedy supporter and not really true to the Bombers?

    Wait till you meet the Wynyard Cats.

  2. Richard Naco says

    I’m with you on this one, Pamela.

    While I somehow doubt that I’ll ever get the feline blood out of my system, I am very excited about the potential of the wild wild west(ern suburbs). I’ll certainly be at Homebush this Friday, parked extremely adjacent to the Giants’ cheer squad (although wearing my usual game day attire of navy & white).

    As I seem to be in perpetual exile from The Pivot, I aim to catch as many games at Homebush, Manuka (my sibling resides in the Bush Capital, so I can justify those trips as family reunions) & the SCG as possible this year, and I think our indigenous game will bloom here in the Emerald City.

    I suspect that this Saturday will be win-win for both Giants & Swans. The Bloods should win the battle of the scoreboard easily enough, but I have a gut feeling that major incursions will be made by the Orange Brigade into the hearts & imaginations of Sydney footy fans, both current & potential.

    (If you see a tall bespecalled bloke in Cats gear near the Giants’ cheer squad during the game – or the breaks therein – feel free to come up & introduce yourself.)

  3. pamela sherpa says

    Phantom – life is full of ironies. I couldn’t wait to see the rear end of Sheedy at Essendon.I thought he stayed too long .Thought he had become bigger than the club. Now I think he is doing a brilliant job in Sydney- found his true niche in life.
    Just sent JTH a couple of pics from newspaper of Cooma Cats – you guys have teams everywhere!!!Looking forward to seeing your mighty Wynyard Cats

    Richard , I will try to spot you! I’m sitting in Giants unreserved area, somewhere between aisles 138 and145.Entering at gate P
    I have a reserved seat for Canberra games so hopefully can catch you then.

  4. Cooma Cats. Love the sound of that.

Leave a Comment

*