Greater Western Sydney’s very first banner said it all: “One small step for the Giants, one giant leap for AFL.”
With the whole AFL world watching, plus many more, the league’s 18th and newest team made its long-awaited debut on Saturday night knowing it was shooting for the moon.
The Giants began their stand-alone season opener, and the AFL’s first ever Sydney derby, with a sea of orange support behind them.
One half of ANZ Stadium was orange, the other half the red of the Sydney Swans, an encouraging start for the Giants considering their opposition has been resident in the harbour city for 30 years and won one premiership.
Before the first bounce some 50 orange-clad attendants unfurled a giant orange G, the Giants logo, in the centre of the ground, followed by a burst of orange fireworks.
The Swans supporters’ banner showed how much of a turf war this night represented, not only between AFL and rugby league but between the two Sydney teams.
“This is our town,” it declared.
“Sydney Swans. Thirty years. Sydney’s passion.”
If the Giants needed any last-minute inspiration they needed only to look at the stadium’s giant screen, which showed a video tribute to former Melbourne champion and Brownlow medallist Jim Stynes, who died this week of cancer aged 45.
It was followed by a sombre minute’s silence in tribute to Stynes.
Then the first siren of the 2012 season blew, and it was game on.
A new era had dawned for the AFL.