GWS home at last

THE Yankees have Yankee Stadium. The Dodgers have Dodger Stadium. And now the Giants have Giants Stadium.

In one of the most significant developments in the eight-year history of the GWS Giants, the club has broken new ground in Australian sport by landing a multimillion-dollar deal for their own brand to take on the naming rights for their home ground at Sydney Olympic Park.

The landmark deal with the Royal Agricultural Society has been financed by several anonymous private backers who have allowed the club to invest in growing and solidifying the Giants’ footprint in Western Sydney, rather than simply sign away the ground to a sponsor like previous naming-rights holder, Spotless.

From the orange army’s opening-round clash tomorrow against Essendon, Giants Stadium in Sydney’s west will now become recognisable as GWS headquarters, and even for Sydney Thunder Big Bash League matches, the rugby world sevens. DARCY Parish is a big Essendon omission and Jack Steven will return for St Kilda in tomorrow’s opening-round AFL matches.

The Bombers left Parish out of their line-up for the Sydney Showground match against GWS, while former Giant Dylan Shiel will debut for Essendon against his old side. GWS lost onballer Josh Kelly, who is recovering from off-season surgery, and they also left out Matt Buntine.

Steven, St Kilda’s four-time best and fairest winner, has had time off to deal with mental health issues.

As recently as a fortnight ago it was unclear if he would be ready for Round 1, but the Saints named the midfielder in their final 22.

St Kilda will feature three newcomers — former Melbourne player Dean Kent and debutants Matthew Parker and Callum Wilkie.

The Suns named No.2 draft pick Jack Lukosius and Chris Burgess for their AFL debuts.