Inside the ever-growing profile of arguably Sydney’s fastest-growing sporting team

The stars at the Giants may not have the name recognition to rival their NRL peers in Sydney’s west, but make no mistake, the AFL and GWS are here to stay, writes LACHLAN MCKIRDY.

Giants captain Toby Greene leads out his team during the AFL Opening Round match between the GWS Giants and Collingwood Magpies at Engie Stadium, Sydney on March 9, 2024. Photo by Phil Hillyard (Image Supplied for Editorial Use only – Phil Hillyard **NO ON SALES** – ©Phil Hillyard )

When the AFL took over Parramatta Square in the week leading up to Opening Round, there were understandably many confused by the unique activation.

Thousands walked past a large inflatable Sherrin and multiple footy-based drills, while the busiest stall was handing out free university merchandise.

One local councillor commented that he had never seen a sporting code have as big a presence in the heart of Parramatta. And for 4pm on a Tuesday, a surprising number of adults and kids were decked out in Giants merchandise holding out for a signature.

Puzzled looks. Questions asked. It created a fascinating talking point for those on their commute home. But that was the plan. Make people curious and raise the ever-growing profile of the AFL in Western Sydney.

Ruckman Kieren Briggs takes a selfie with Giants fans at Parramatta Square. Picture: Phil Hillyard

My colleague Dean Ritchie wrote that the GWS Giants “are close to an invisible franchise”, but the data suggests they’re arguably the fastest-growing sporting team in Sydney.

There’s no hiding from the fact that the recognition of certain players is down, but the awareness of the sport as a whole is far below where it needs to be. That’s why the Giants and the AFL both understand how much work has to be done to create cut-through in the region.

Success for the Giants has always been around long-term targets. Most kids from Parramatta, Liverpool, Castle Hill or Campbelltown haven’t grown up with Aussie rules footy.

The club is considered a generational project. They want those same kids to be taking their kids to games in 30 or 40 years’ time. The overwhelming investment in Western Sydney suggests they’re on the right path.

No club does community engagement like the Giants either. Their entire 44-man playing group individually visits schools and clubs in Western Sydney at a minimum eight times a year, covering thousands of kids in the region. Importantly from the AFL’s perspective, there has also been a massive growth in the pathway for women’s and girls’ footy, with participation numbers continuing to rise.

GWS Giants players Tom Green and Harvey Thomas during their most recent community camp. Picture: GWS Giants

If a handful of those youngsters progress into the Giants’ team, then recognition will grow quicker. Where Toby Greene, Stephen Coniglio and Lachie Whitfield may struggle for widespread relevance because they come from interstate, Pennant Hills product Kieren Briggs is slowly picking up plenty of fans having grown up as a local Giants supporter himself.

Tapping into the multiculturalism present in Western Sydney has also been vitally important. The Giants host an annual Iftar Ramadan dinner, with more than 400 members of the Muslim community attending last week, and have been committed to lowering the barriers for people from all backgrounds to fall in love with footy.

The AFL’s investment is designed to reflect the changing face of the region. When nearly 50 per cent of the population use a language other than English at home and 40 per cent were born in another country, unique solutions have to be found – particularly when trying to connect them with a new sport.

Crowd numbers are naturally front of mind when discussing the Giants. They only just passed an attendance of 8,000 for their most recent game at ENGIE Stadium and had an average of just over 10,000 for the 2023 season. It’s a far cry from most other NRL and AFL clubs.

But their sold-out match last week against Collingwood indicates that the right games at Sydney Olympic Park can be an entertaining prospect. They are also entering just their 13th season, where the likes of the Parramatta Eels and Penrith Panthers have more than 60 years of history to draw on.

More than 21,000 fans attended the Giants opening game of the season against Collingwood. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The Giants’ membership is up 60 per cent year-on-year and was only behind the Eels for Sydney-based NRL clubs in 2023. With an aim to exceed 35,000 members this year, there’s every chance the Giants and Swans will be the two most supported clubs in Sydney.

They also had 23 per cent growth on Instagram, the highest of any Sydney club, and once you include their AFLW and Super Netball sides, their social audience exceeds 500,000 people.

All that success has come without an elusive AFL premiership, something the team has openly spoken about finally winning this year.

The Giants don’t want to invade Western Sydney and take over the NRL’s dominance, they want sports fans to have an extra code to support. But make no mistake, the AFL is here to stay. And the data shows they’re well on their way to turning Western Sydney into a footy-loving region.

Originally published as Inside the ever-growing profile of arguably Sydney’s fastest-growing sporting team