By Malcolm Conn
As Greater Western Sydney charge towards their seventh finals campaign in nine seasons with a crucial match against Fremantle on Saturday, cricket is proving more popular than the Giants at their home ground.
While the Giants’ fast, exciting playing style and consistent presence in the finals has made them one of the most successful sides of the past decade, Big Bash side the Sydney Thunder have eight of the 14 largest crowds at the Sydney Showgrounds, which the Giants call Engie Stadium.
This includes the largest crowd at the boutique Olympic Park venue – 22,102, for the Sydney Smash between the Thunder and the Sixers on December 30 last year. The Giants have five of the top 14 crowds at the ground and the Canterbury Bulldogs one: 20,016 in 2003.
Saturday’s clash between the Giants, in third spot, and sixth-placed Fremantle will have a major bearing on the finals fortunes of both teams, with the Giants a chance to grab second place below the Swans if they win their last two regular season games. Two losses and they could miss the finals altogether.
But despite the importance of the match and a six-game winning streak, which includes a stirring victory over Brisbane last Saturday that ended the Lions’ nin- game winning streak, another modest crowd is expected on Saturday for the Giants’ last home game of the season.
Four of the Giants’ seven home matches in Sydney this year have attracted fewer than 9000 fans, with only their season opener against Collingwood drawing more than 21,000 and their clash against the Swans in June almost 20,000. The Giant’s three home matches at Canberra’s Manuka Oval has seen near-capacity crowds of about 13,000. The top-placed Swans are averaging almost 40,000 a game at the SCG this season.
Giants teammates get around jubilant midfielder Tom Green.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Rising, rampaging midfield star Tom Green says helping to build the fledging club in rugby league heartland is one of the major motivations why he has committed to the Giants long term, signing a contract last year to the end of 2027.
As the grandson of Richmond’s four-time premiership ruckman Michael Green, Tom Green has an intrinsic understanding of AFL’s deep history.
“They [Richmond] are a really established club with a massive supporter base,” said Green, who grew up as a Richmond supporter in Canberra, where his much-travelled family settled because of his father’s role as an army officer.
“Having grown up with it, I understand how special that is. But what’s more special to me is the opportunity to grow a club from scratch and try and form our own legacy.
“We’ve never won a premiership, and that’s something that motivates me every single day. I want to be a part of the team that wins our first premiership, and also grows our game in Western Sydney, which is a soccer and rugby heartland.
“But if we can introduce more people to this great game of ours and get them involved, I think there’s an opportunity to have a powerhouse club in the west of Sydney, which is something that I want to help form.
“The Giants have been so good to me. I was a part of their Academy from Canberra, and the way that they invested their time, money and infrastructure into me is something that I’ll forever be grateful for, and I think it was only right to repay that faith.”
The Giants’ inaugural coach in 2012 and 2013, Kevin Sheedy, told this masthead on Tuesday that the Giants should be treated like the Sydney Opera House.
“It was 40 years before everybody said, ‘Actually this isn’t a bad work of architecture here’,” Sheedy said. “Now, the whole world comes to have a photo with it.”
Green had a breakout season last year and was included as part of the club’s leadership group. He led the AFL in average disposals per game (32) and average contested possessions (14.95). He made the All-Australian squad for the first time while tying as runner-up in the Kevin Sheedy Medal for the Giants’ best and fairest.
While victories over Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs, currently seventh, could see the Giants finish second if Port Adelaide lose one of their two remaining matches, two losses could see the Giants finish ninth and miss the finals. Green’s desire for a premiership is tempered by what’s in front of him.
“We’re still trying to make finals,” Green said. “I think we can miss just as easily as we can have a double chance.”
But on current form the Giants are the comeback kids, most recently running over Brisbane with a six goals to one last quarter.
“We take great confidence out of the fact knowing that we can chase down any lead,” Green said. “I think other teams would probably be worried by that.”