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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National

AFL Premiership Cup visits Maitland as homegrown hero Heeney's Swans beat Demons

The Maitland Saints Under-11 girls get thieir photo taken with GWS Giants star Toby Greene and the AFL Premiership Cup at Max McMahon Oval in Maitland. Picture by Michael Hartshorn

Aussie Rules' holy grail the AFL Premiership Cup called into Maitland on Thursday as part of a national tour ending at the MCG on grand final day on Saturday, September 24.

Swans fans will be taking it as an omen with Maitland born Sydney Swans star Isaac Heeney and his team winning after the visit and now just one win from the grand final after beating Melbourne in Friday night's qualifying final at the MCG.

The Swans are through to a home preliminary final on the back of their 14.7-91 to 10.9-69.

Also read: Sydney stun Demons in AFL final boilover

Heeney played his junior footy with Cardiff before the Saints were established, but the club is now firmly entrenched with girls and boys teams and several players with the Swans Academy and their under-17 and under-11 girls teams in grand finals on Sunday.

The Saints under-11s and under-17s both play Terrigal Avoca Panthers at Warners Bay after both were victorious over the same teams in the qualifying final two weeks ago.

The Maitland Saints hosted the visit at Max McMahon Oval and hundreds of young and old fans gathered to be photographed with the cup and GWS Giants star Toby Greene.

The Maitland Saints committee, Under-17 and Under-11 girls grand final teams join GWS Giants star Toby Greene with the AFL Premiership Cup in Maitland on day two of the 21-day national tour of the cup. Picture by Michael Hartshonr
The Maitland Saints Under-11 girls come marching in to get their photo taken together with the AFL Premiership Cup at Maitland on Thursday. P
The Maitland Saints Under-11 girls get thieir photo taken with GWS Giants star Toby Greene and the AFL Premiership Cup at Max McMahon Oval in Maitland. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
The Maitland Saints Under-17s received some huge motivation with GWS Giants star Toby Green joining the AFL Premiership Cup Tour on its visit to Maitland this week ahead of the young Saints grand final on Sunday. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
The Maitland Saints Under-11 girls train ahead of their grand final on Sunday. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
The Maitland Saints Under-11 girls train ahead of their grand final on Sunday. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
Giants star Toby Greene with Maitland Saints Under-17 girls player Maddi Jewell. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
The Roy family get their photo taken with GWS Giants star Toby Greene and the AFL Premiership Cup at Max McMahon Oval in Maitland. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
GWS Giants star Toby Greene with Maitland Saints Under-17 players Rhylan Hoffman and Jarrod Inglis. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
GWS star Toby Greene with a young fan and the AFL Premiership Cup. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
Saints Under-17 players Bailey Urquhart and Ethan Davis with Toby Greene. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
Maitland mayor Philip Penfold, Giants start Toby Greene and Maitland Saints chairman Duane Roy. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
Toby Greene with Saints Juniors president Steven Kane and his son Harry. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
Toby Greene and Kevin Greaves with the AFL Premiership Cup. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
GWS star Toby Greene with two members of the Saints under-17 grand final team. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
Fans get their photo taken with the AFL Premiership Cup at Max McMahon Oval in Maitland. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
GWS Giants star Toby Greene poses with the Bowling family and the AFL premiership Cup in Maitland. Picture: by Michael Hartshorn
GWS Giants star Toby Greene poses with fans and the AFL Premiership Cup. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
GWS Giants star Toby Greene poses with fans and the AFL Premiership Cup. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
GWS Giants star Toby Greene poses with a young fan and the AFL Premiership Cup. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
Giants fans get a photo with GWS star Toby Greene and the AFL Premiership Cup. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
GWS Giants star Toby Greene poses with fans and the AFL Premiership Cup. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
A GWS Giants fan gets a photo with her favourite player Toby Greene. Picture by Michael Hartshorn
Maitland Saints Under-11 girls teammates hold onto the AFL Premiership Cup at Max McMahon Oval, Maitland. Picture by Michael Hartshorn

Greene said he really enjoyed the interaction with the fans as he remembered how special events like this were for him growing in up in Melbourne.

The Giants were beaten in the 2019 grand final by Richmond, but Greene, in his 11th season at GWS, believes the club can return to finals next season and win a grand final in the coming seasons.

The Toyota AFL Premiership Cup Tour moves on through NSW, Queensland the Northern Territory before finishing off in regional Victoria.

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