The concept of a ‘premiership window’ has never seemed more real than in the case of the Giants, and as every year passes the chances to take advantage of draft concessions fade and a future more akin to Gold Coast’s comes into view.
Preliminary final failures in 2016 and 2017 turned into a semi-final fizzer in 2018, followed by the loss of Dylan Shiel, Rory Lobb, Tom Scully and Will Setterfield in the trade period, leaving the list looking weaker and the future looking bleaker.
But how bad was GWS’s 2018? The Giants were devastated by injuries yet still finished top six, smashing arch-rivals Sydney in the first week of September before falling two goals short of eventual grand finalists Collingwood on the MCG.
Toby Greene, Jeremy Cameron, Zach Williams and Josh Kelly were just some of the players that missed big chunks of the season, and with a bit of luck owed on the injury front surely things could turn around for a title shot in 2019.
Surely.
List changes
In
Jye Caldwell (Bendigo Pioneers), Jackson Hately (Central District), Xavier O’Halloran (Western Jets), Ian Hill (Perth), Kieren Briggs (GWS Academy), Connor Idun (Geelong Falcons)
Out
Rory Lobb, Tom Scully, Will Setterfield, Dylan Shiel, Tim Mohr, Lachlan Tiziani, Ryan Griffen
Best Brownlow chances
Josh Kelly $16, Stephen Coniglio $51, Callan Ward $51, Lachie Whitfield $51
After missing seven games through the 2018 home-and-away season Kelly was never going to threaten on Brownlow night, but he was sixth the previous year and, given a healthy run next campaign, will be every chance to salute.
What a start for Josh Kelly! #AFLGiantsTigers pic.twitter.com/0Miy9xqyRn
— AFL (@AFL) July 14, 2018
Coniglio, on the other hand, had an outstanding season that saw him at the top of many media awards, yet the classy midfielder failed to catch the eye of the umpires, finishing on just 11 votes despite averaging 28 disposals and over a goal a game.
Co-captain Ward always polls but hasn’t threatened since a top-10 finish in 2015, however, Whitfield could be worth a plunge after a breakout season that saw him take out the club best and fairest award and be named All Australian for the first time.
Players to watch
Jeremy Cameron, Jacob Hopper
The importance of Cameron to the Giants is hard to overestimate. When he kicks goals the side tends to win, and with the failure of Jon Patton to fire up forward, Cameron has become the focal point of the GWS attack. Missing Toby Greene at his feet in 2018 didn’t help, and if the pair can stay injury - and controversy – free in 2019 the Giants’ flag fortunes will well and truly rise. But that’s a pretty big ‘if’.
Lions defender Harris Andrews has been taken off on a stretcher after this collision with Jeremy Cameron. #AFLLionsGiants pic.twitter.com/ubWZgH8qzR
— AFL (@AFL) June 23, 2018
Depth of talent has never been a problem in GWS’s short history, but Dylan Shiel’s departure will test the strength of the list. However, the emergence of Hopper has been largely unnoticed and the 21-year-old looks ready to step up. His early-career numbers are tracking in a similar fashion to Josh Kelly’s and, on the cusp of his fourth season, Hopper’s ripe to explode. Coach Leon Cameron will be hoping he does.
A last chance to watch?
Heath Shaw, Josh Kelly
Shaw hasn’t slowed down yet, but his composure and quality of ball use dropped off in 2018, suggesting that even if his 33-year-old body is still up to the challenge, maybe his head and heart aren’t. No doubt the 2010 Collingwood premiership player will want to have one more tilt at the title, but it’s hard to see Shaw going on past 2019.
There’s no doubt Kelly will be playing football for years to come, but will this be his last season in orange? North Melbourne has made no secret of the fact it’s still pursuing the star midfielder and will once again be throwing huge dollars his way. That Kelly only extended his contract to the end of 2019 suggests he’s very much on the market.
GWS Giants’ 2019 list
| No. | Name | Games | Date of birth | Height, weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Bonar, Aiden | 4 | 8 Mar 1999 | 189cm 86kg | Forward |
| Briggs, Kieren | 0 | 200cm 103kg | Ruck | ||
| 43 | Buckley, Dylan (R) | 41 | 16 Mar 1993 | 179cm 76kg | Defender |
| 41 | Buckley, Jack (R) | 0 | 17 Dec 1997 | 194cm 81kg | Forward |
| 21 | Buntine, Matthew | 50 | 19 Oct 1993 | 189cm 84kg | Defender |
| 5 | Caldwell, Jye | 0 | 28 Sep 2000 | 184cm 82kg | Midfield |
| 18 | Cameron, Jeremy | 130 | 1 Apr 1993 | 196cm 94kg | Forward |
| 3 | Coniglio, Stephen | 118 | 15 Dec 1993 | 182cm 85kg | Midfield |
| 35 | Corr, Aidan | 75 | 17 May 1994 | 195cm 94kg | Defender |
| 13 | Cumming, Isaac | 2 | 11 Aug 1998 | 184cm 74kg | Defender |
| 16 | Daniels, Brent | 7 | 9 Mar 1999 | 171cm 70kg | Forward |
| 1 | Davis, Phil | 143 | 30 Aug 1990 | 197cm 96kg | Defender |
| 24 | De Boer, Matthew | 168 | 10 Mar 1990 | 189cm 86kg | Forward |
| 7 | Deledio, Brett | 261 | 18 Apr 1987 | 188cm 86kg | Midfield |
| 31 | Finlayson, Jeremy | 15 | 9 Feb 1996 | 196cm 91kg | Defender |
| 30 | Flynn, Matthew | 0 | 13 Sep 1997 | 200cm 101kg | Ruck |
| 4 | Greene, Toby | 126 | 25 Sep 1993 | 182cm 82kg | Forward |
| 9 | Hately, Jackson | 0 | 21 Oct 2000 | 189cm 80kg | Midfield |
| 19 | Haynes, Nick | 105 | 18 May 1992 | 193cm 89kg | Defender |
| 37 | Hill, Ian | 0 | 9 Feb 2000 | 175cm 65kg | Forward |
| 27 | Himmelberg, Harrison | 40 | 8 May 1996 | 194cm 92kg | Defender |
| 2 | Hopper, Jacob | 44 | 6 Feb 1997 | 187cm 87kg | Midfield |
| 39 | Idun, Connor | 0 | 29 Jul 2000 | 191cm 91kg | Defender |
| 25 | Keeffe, Lachlan | 48 | 14 Apr 1990 | 204cm 101kg | Defender |
| 22 | Kelly, Joshua | 100 | 12 Feb 1995 | 184cm 82kg | Midfield |
| 40 | Kennedy, Adam | 92 | 12 Jul 1992 | 182cm 80kg | Defender |
| 17 | Langdon, Zac | 21 | 13 Nov 1995 | 175cm 75kg | Forward |
| 38 | Lloyd, Daniel (R) | 21 | 18 Feb 1992 | 187cm 87kg | Forward |
| 41 | Mumford, Shane | 172 | 5 Jul 1986 | 197cm 105kg | Ruck |
| 33 | O'Halloran, Xavier | 0 | 11 Jul 2000 | 186cm 84kg | Midfield |
| 12 | Patton, Jonathon | 89 | 20 May 1993 | 198cm 101kg | Forward |
| 36 | Perryman, Harry | 17 | 19 Dec 1998 | 184cm 77kg | Defender |
| 50 | Reid, Samuel (R) | 64 | 7 Nov 1989 | 188cm 85kg | Forward |
| 23 | Shaw, Heath | 282 | 27 Nov 1985 | 183cm 86kg | Defender |
| 11 | Sheridan, Thomas | 81 | 28 Oct 1993 | 187cm 82kg | Defender |
| 34 | Shipley, Nicholas | 2 | 25 Jun 1999 | 188cm 93kg | Midfield |
| 26 | Simpson, Dawson | 39 | 17 Feb 1989 | 210cm 109kg | Ruck |
| 28 | Sproule, Zachary (R) | 0 | 12 May 1998 | 197cm 91kg | Forward |
| 42 | Stein, Jake (R) | 0 | 17 Jan 1994 | 195cm 94kg | Defender |
| 14 | Taranto, Tim | 37 | 28 Jan 1998 | 186cm 83kg | Midfield |
| 15 | Taylor, Sam | 8 | 5 May 1999 | 196cm 87kg | Defender |
| 20 | Tomlinson, Adam | 115 | 10 Aug 1993 | 194cm 97kg | Defender |
| 8 | Ward, Callan | 216 | 10 Apr 1990 | 187cm 84kg | Midfield |
| 6 | Whitfield, Lachie | 114 | 18 Jul 1994 | 187cm 81kg | Midfield |
| 29 | Williams, Zachary | 78 | 20 Sep 1994 | 185cm 84kg | Defender |
We strapped a GoPro on Adam Tomlinson to take you along for the ride as our senior players completed their 2km Time Trial on their first day back.
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) December 3, 2018
(We spliced in some footage from stationary cameras to ward off any motion sickness!)#BeGIANT pic.twitter.com/Et1dds0X6X
GWS Giants’ 2019 Fixture
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunday 24 Mar 3:20pm | Essendon | Showground Stadium |
| 2 | Saturday 30 Mar 5:10pm | West Coast | Optus Stadium |
| 3 | Saturday 6 Apr 4:35pm | Richmond | Showground Stadium |
| 4 | Saturday 13 Apr 1:45pm | Geelong | GMHBA Stadium |
| 5 | Saturday 20 Apr 1:45pm | Fremantle | Canberra Oval |
| 6 | Saturday 27 Apr 7:25pm | Sydney | SCG |
| 7 | Saturday 4 May 1:45pm | St Kilda | Canberra Oval |
| 8 | Sunday 12 May 3:20pm | Hawthorn | MCG |
| 9 | Sunday 19 May 4:40pm | Carlton | Showground Stadium |
| 10 | Sunday 26 May 1:10pm | Melbourne | MCG |
| 11 | Saturday 1 Jun 1:45pm | Gold Coast | Showground Stadium |
| 12 | Saturday 8 Jun 7:10pm | Adelaide | Adelaide Oval |
| 13 | Sunday 16 Jun 3:20pm | North Melbourne | Blundstone Arena |
| 14 | BYE | ||
| 15 | Thursday 27 Jun 7:20pm | Essendon | Marvel Stadium |
| 16 | Sunday 7 Jul 4:40pm | Brisbane | Showground Stadium |
| 17 | Sunday 14 Jul 1:10pm | Richmond | MCG |
| 18 | Saturday 20 Jul 4:35pm | Collingwood | Showground Stadium |
| 19 | Saturday 27 Jul 7:10pm | Port Adelaide | Adelaide Oval |
| 20 | Saturday 3 Aug 2:10pm | Sydney | Showground Stadium |
| 21 | Friday 9 Aug 7:50pm | Hawthorn | Canberra Oval |
| 22 | Sunday 18 Aug 3:20pm | Western Bulldogs | Showground Stadium |
| 23 | TBC | Gold Coast | Metricon Stadium |
Games played on
Thursday: 1
Friday: 1
Saturday: 11
Sunday: 8
Teams played twice
Hawthorn, Richmond, Essendon, Sydney, Gold Coast
Thor drops the hammer on the Swans 🔨
— AFL (@AFL) September 8, 2018
Lovely finish from Harry Himmelberg.#AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/zWCdg8QdpV
2019 Preview and premiership odds
Player departures and a slip backwards in 2018 are reflected in the Giants’ flag odds of $14, eighth in the competition despite top-six finishes in the past three years.
Is a feeling of ‘now or never’ being optimistic and is it more the case that the horse has already bolted?
There may be nothing new at GWS in 2019, but it’s hard to write off a side that boasts so many quality players, especially as the clock ticks on possible success.
For all the stars that have already left, it’s the questionable futures of those still there but coming out of contract that could set the fire under this group to achieve something now, while they still can.
Don’t write off the Giants just yet, and if the list is looking fit and healthy come March then expect GWS to be at the pointy end from the outset.
