No sooner had the Giants won their first pre-season game against West Coast in Narrandera last weekend than the simmering dispute over the club’s zoning rights again raised its head.

But in a staunch defence of their investment and involvement in areas including the Riverina, Saddington said the academies are about helping footballers reach their peak.

“It does get frustrating because there’s a lot of great people who do a lot of great work in our programs – from coaches, to parents and the kids themselves,” Saddington said.

“Knowing all the blood, sweat and tears that go into their development, to say they were just going to develop out of the region anyway without all that hard work, it’s a bit of a slap in the face, really.”

Rival clubs, particularly in Melbourne, believe the Giants have been handed access to an Australian rules heartland, in particular along the Murray River.

He concedes the club may be a victim of its own success.

“It’s a bit of both – it’s testament that you’re doing a good job because there’s kids being produced out of the area,” Saddington said.

“The frustration can be that we can say there wasn’t the same quality of player or type of players when we started and I’d say that’s off the back of work we’ve done in the area.”

Academy coach since 2014, Saddington was previously involved with the NSW-ACT Rams. He considers it narrow-minded not to notice the Giants’ are doing the AFL’s work in areas which are a battleground for young sporting talent.

Saddington says the Giants academy also improves the standard of footballers at local clubs (like Wagga Tigers’ teenaged best-and-fairest Brendan Myers) and helps players aim for spots at NEAFL or VFL clubs.

The AFL’s Southern NSW regional manager, Steve Mahar, said moves to limit the Giants would be a backwards step.

“They’re bringing players like Zac Williams into the system and seeing what they can develop,” Mahar said.

“In the end, more players are being drafted from the NSW-ACT area and we see that as a positive.”