GIANTS Director and inaugural coach Kevin Sheedy has launched the Dartmoor GIANTS in Jeremy Cameron's home town in Western Victoria.
The Dartmoor Swans announced the name-change to the Dartmoor GIANTS in February and Sheedy was on hand for the official launch on Friday night.
Located in Western Victoria, Dartmoor has a population of 263 people and has been home to the local football and netball club for over 100 years.
The partnership is the latest in a growing number of GIANTS affiliated clubs across Australia and overseas. These include the MacArthur GIANTS and Concord GIANTS in NSW and the Kew GIANTS in Victoria.
Other teams to have adopted the name include the South East London GIANTS, the North Leinster GIANTS (Ireland), the Zaprude GIANTS (Croatia), the Skane GIANTS (Sweden) and the Maharashtra GIANTS (India).
In 2014, the Dartmoor GIANTS Football Club will field a seniors and reserves team while the Netball Club will have five teams named the GIANTS.
Jeremy Cameron began playing football at the Dartmoor Football Club at the age of 15 and has since developed into one of the AFL’s most exciting forwards.
The 20-year-old was named at Full Forward in the 2013 All Australian Team after he kicked 62 goals and won the Kevin Sheedy Medal as the GIANTS club champion in just his second season.
“Sport is such a big part of every country town and I think it’s fantastic that my home town of Dartmoor has now become part of the GIANTS,” Cameron said.
“Dartmoor was a great place to grow up and I’ve received a lot of support from the town since moving to Western Sydney.
“Hopefully a change of name and new colours will see Dartmoor return to the top of the competition,” he said.
Dartmoor GIANTS Football Netball Club Secretary Ange Lipscombe said the club was thrilled to join forces with the GIANTS.
"We feel very grateful for this opportunity for Dartmoor and we’re very proud of Jeremy Cameron and his achievements so far and the opportunities he’s made available to his hometown," she said.
"The change of name has been very well received by the whole community and we look forward to this partnership, and are proud to be a part of the GIANTS."
Last year Jeremy Cameron visited the children at Dartmoor Primary School which erected a sign at the front of the school to keep tally of the goals he kicked during the season.
GIANTS Chief Executive David Matthews said the club would continue to expand its footprint with some more exciting announcements soon.
“This is a terrific partnership for the GIANTS and for the Dartmoor Football Netball Club which has seen fit to change its name from the Swans to the GIANTS," he said.
“We’ve seen GIANTS teams pop up all over the world and right across Australia and to have a town on board like Dartmoor is fantastic."
The GIANTS welcome interest from any clubs around the world wanting to become the GIANTS. Please contact Lauren.Sandford@gwsgiants.com.au
