The tight-knit township of Colbinabbin is proudly green and gold for its beloved Grasshoppers in the Heathcote District Football Netball League.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Saturday, Colbinabbin's loyal fans will support the orange of the GWS Giants as one of the town's favourite sons, Cooper Hamilton, makes his AFL debut against the Adelaide Crows in Adelaide.
News of Hamilton's selection by the Giants swept across the district on Thursday.
"(Colbinabbin Football Club legend) Toot Morgan said that Cooper is the first Colbo-born person to play in the AFL,'' Colbinabbin coach Julian Bull said.
"We've had a fair few play in the VFL, but Cooper is the first to play in an AFL game in over 100 years of football out there.
"It's a pretty good achievement."
The Grasshoppers host White Hills in the HDFNL match of the round on Saturday - at the same time of Hamilton's debut with the Giants.
"The plan is to set up a big screen outside the clubrooms so that people can watch both games,'' Bull said.
"Everyone in the town is so excited. There's already a fair bit of Giants merchandise floating around and I'm sure there'll be even more on Saturday."
Cooper Hamilton's family will make the trip to Adelaide to watch the game.
His twin brother, Hugh, will return on Saturday night so that he can play for the Bendigo Pioneers on Sunday in the NAB League.
"Cooper and Hugh have come up through the ranks together and they've always been so dedicated to what they've done from when they were young all the way through their schooling,'' Bull said.
"As kids they were always down at the ground kicking the footy together.
"When they were 15 they played in a senior grand final for Colbo and they were both in our best players...that just showed how good they were."
Cooper, a running defender, was selected by the Giants with pick 11 in last year's AFL Rookie Draft.
He smashed the club's 2km time-trial time by 18 seconds during pre-season training.
"After being picked up in the rookie draft, to make your AFL debut by round seven is pretty awesome,'' Bendigo Pioneers coach Danny O'Bree said of Hamilton.
A couple of weeks ago O'Bree joined former Pioneers' coach Damian Truslove in the Giants' coaches box for the VFL game against Collingwood.
O'Bree quickly learned how highly the Giants rate Hamilton.
"Damo alluded then that Cooper was pretty close (to making his AFL debut),'' O'Bree said.
"Apparently they thought about playing him against St Kilda to play on Gresham or Higgins, but he had another game in the VFL and went really well.
"His form has been really good and he's earned his chance."
O'Bree said Hamilton's story capped a great week for the Pioneers after Jack Ginnivan kicked five goals for Collingwood and won the Anzac Day Medal.
"In the last week you look at what Jack Ginnivan did, and now what Cooper is doing, and we have players on our list that played with Jack two years ago and/or with Cooper last year,'' O'Bree said.
"Sometimes these kids don't realise how close they are (to the AFL) if they put the work in.
"What Jack and Cooper have done should inspire young players in our region."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Download our app on iOS and Android
- Bookmark bendigoadvertiser.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter @BgoAddy
- Follow us on Instagram @bendigoadvertiser
- Join us on Facebook
- Follow us on Google News
- Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
