THE new football club created by the merger of Mallee Football League sides Beulah and Hopetoun will be known as the Southern Mallee Giants.
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The club formed after Beulah and Hopetoun members voted in favour of a merger during the year.
The team will adopt the orange and charcoal colours of the AFL's Greater Western Sydney Giants. Former Beulah president and new Southern Mallee Giants president Clayton Shannon said the club hoped to foster a link with its AFL namesake.
He said former AFL Victoria Country Wimmera development manager Geoff Burdett had helped the club arrange to wear Giants colours.
"Geoff Burdett had a contact with the Giants and Kevin Sheedy, and that was pretty much how it came about," Shannon said.
"We knew the Giants were looking for clubs to support their colours in central Victoria.
"We're hoping to develop an official link with GWS, but regardless of whether we do or not, we'll be known as the Giants from here on in."
Shannon said the merger had gone smoothly, with both clubs making the transition easy.
He said the Southern Mallee Giants committee was due to meet for the first time last night.
Swan Hill's The Guardian reported the Giants were likely to play out next season in the Mallee Football League before looking for a new home.
Current Mallee league teams and teams in surrounding leagues, including Horsham District and Wimmera leagues, are prevented from moving next season while AFL Victoria Country reviews football in the area.
Shannon said the club had not made any decision about what it would do after next season.