They’ve endured the dark days, but the prospect of future success has convinced GWS Giants forwards Jeremy Cameron and Devon Smith to reject potentially bigger offers from other AFL clubs.
Tall forward Cameron has re-signed for five years to 2020 and the 175cm Smith committed for two more seasons after 2015.
They are the two leading goalkickers in GWS history, with Cameron booting 120 and Smith 52, with the former topping the scoring list in each of the club’s first three seasons.
It represents more good news for the Giants, who earlier this week had co-captain and key defender Phil Davis extend his contract by two years to the end of the 2018 season.
Cameron and Smith consulted their Victorian based families before making a decision, but each said they were happy at GWS.
Giants officials rejoiced at the double coup, convinced it was an endorsement of the club’s culture and program, with CEO David Matthews rating it as possibly the most significant day in the club’s history.
“They are knocking back probably a lot better financial opportunities elsewhere because they also see that we can be a club that is going somewhere and we are growing and we’re growing really quickly,” Giants’ coach Leon Cameron said.
“We’re here to win premierships, we’re not here to make up the numbers. We feel as though this year we can start to make a really big gain on the competition.”
Jeremy Cameron echoed those sentiments insisting the club will continue to improve on their win/loss ratio. I like the way it’s going. “I can see the wheel turning and us getting on the end of some good hard-earned wins.”
Smith, who finished joint second in the Giants best and fairest in 2014 after kicking 26 goals, was also hungry for more wins and was targeting a double-digit number after they notched six last year.
“I’ve played in 59 (AFL games) now and been in all nine wins,” said Smith, who along with Tomas Bugg and Adam Treloar, are the only Giants to have played in all of their victories.
“I think hopefully this year we get at least ten. I really want to start winning games.
“I come from a pretty successful junior football upbringing so I’m not used to losing and I don’t really like it.”
Smith will be rested from the Giants first NAB Challenge game against Brisbane at Blacktown on Saturday, but Cameron was looking forward to game time after an injury-interrupted campaign.
WHY GWS GIANTS FORWARD JEREMY CAMERON IS SO HIGHLY RATED:
* All-time leading Giants goalkicker with 120, more than twice as many as second-placed Devon Smith, 52
* Giants leading goalkicker in all three seasons of their existence, 2012 (29), 2013 (62), 2014 (29)
* He has kicked their two highest individual scores, 7.1 (v Collingwood, 2013), 6.0 v Essendon 2013)
* Club best and fairest winner: 2013
* All-Australian: 2013
* Rising Star nominee:2012
