The magnificent seven
This article first appeared on gwsgiants.com.au
Jonathon Patton, Dom Tyson, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Andrew Phillips and Sam Frost have all agreed to contract extensions until the end of 2015. Curtly Hampton and Aidan Corr have agreed to commit to the club until the end of 2016.
They follow the re-signings last year of 13 young players including Jeremy Cameron, Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Dylan Shiel, Devon Smith, Adam Treloar and Tomas Bugg who, along with Tyson, were the GIANTS’ record eight NAB AFL Rising Star nominations in 2012.
Jonathan Giles, Matt Buntine, Adam Kennedy, Adam Tomlinson, Tim Mohr and Tim Golds also recommitted to the GIANTS in 2012. Co-captains Callan Ward and Phil Davis and vice-captain Tom Scully also have long term contracts with the club.
GIANTS Chief Executive David Matthews said it was another significant announcement for the club ahead of its first game of 2013 against the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium on March 30.
“This announcement, along with the other player re-signings, is a great endorsement of the GIANTS as we head into just our second year in the AFL and a great endorsement of expansion into Western Sydney,” Matthews said.
“I want to thank all the players who have committed to the GIANTS for the faith they have shown in the club. They clearly believe we have an exciting future and they want to be part of it.
“I also want to congratulate Football Manager Graeme Allan and List Manager Stephen Silvagni who have not only recruited these players to the club but had a concerted strategy to develop and retain them.
“The list establishment rules for the new AFL clubs were only as strong as the clubs’ capacity to develop and retain these players and the GIANTS have certainly done that. As a club we have invested heavily in the welfare of these players with the facilities at Breakfast Point and our player welfare team led by Craig and Melissa Lambert who have done a brilliant job to help transition these young men into Western Sydney.
“The establishment of our new training base at Sydney Olympic Park has also been instrumental and it provides us with state of the art facilities to rival other AFL clubs right on the doorstep of our home ground at Skoda Stadium.”
Jonathon Patton, 19, was the number one selection in the 2011 NAB AFL draft and played seven games in his debut season in 2012 after undergoing knee surgery at the start of the year.
Dom Tyson, 19, was selected at number three in the 2011 NAB AFL draft and played 10 games in his debut season as a midfielder.
Will Hoskin Elliot, 19, was selected with pick number four in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft and played 10 games and kicked nine goals in his debut season.
Curtly Hampton, a zone selection player from the Northern Territory, played 17 games in his debut season in 2012.
Andrew Phillips, 21, and Sam Frost, 19, were both promoted from the GIANTS Rookie List and made their AFL debuts in 2012.
Aidan Corr, 18, was selection number 14 in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft and is yet to play a senior game with the GIANTS. He made his NAB Cup debut against Carlton at Blacktown International Sportspark last Sunday.
