Matt Buntine and GWS: A story of love, setbacks, perseverance and faith

Kieran Francis

Matt Buntine and GWS: A story of love, setbacks, perseverance and faith image

After playing only 61 games in nine seasons, many might wonder why GWS foundation player Matt Buntine is still on the Giants list.

The 27-year-old has struggled to play senior football because of injuries and GWS' squad depth during his career.

In the ruthless business that is the AFL, even the most talented players have their professional careers cut short because they are unable to get in the senior team.

But not Buntine.

The reasons why the defender is still an integral part of the club become evident as soon as you ask the thoughts of current Giants coach Leon Cameron.

"He is the ultimate role model you want at your footy club," Cameron told Sporting News.

"He has had to do it the hard way and never at anytime has he thrown the towel in."

Buntine was selected by the Giants with pick 5 in the 2011 draft, with the super talented teenager making the move from Melbourne to Sydney to join the foundation club.

But despite the elation about joining a start-up AFL entity alongside friends he made through football juniors such as Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene and Nick Haynes, Buntine was almost immediately struck down by injuries that slowed down his development.

"I had shin splints and stress fractures in my shins the whole first pre-season," Buntine said to Sporting News.

"So that sort of set me behind the eight ball and probably limited my opportunities to get some games and get used to the AFL environment.

"One fortunate thing about the Giants was that young kids that probably might not play elsewhere were getting games, and I sort of feel like I missed it."

Buntine managed six games in his injury-affected debut season as the young Giants won only two of their 22 matches of their inaugural campaign, with eight defeats coming by more than 90 points.

Matt Buntine GWS

Despite concern that the regular thrashings would have a lasting effect on the developing Giants talent, Buntine recalls an environment where the players were still confident of getting results if they followed the plan put in place.

"I think as the seasons went on, [the heavy defeats] certainly wore you down," he said,

"But it's funny, every game, I feel like our preparation and expectation was that we were a good a chance to win if we executed what we wanted."

It was clear the Giants were gradually building a team with a nucleus of talent that could propel them up the ladder toward premiership contention in future years.

But for Buntine, he just couldn't get himself on the park, with his second pre-season curtailed by broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Without the continuity of being fit and only 16 games in his first three AFL campaigns, it took Buntine until 2015 - his fourth season - to finally nail down a place in the senior side when injuries to several key defenders allowed an opportunity.

A run of 10 consecutive games in the senior team followed between rounds six and 16 before Buntine suffered a sickening concussion against the Gold Coast.

After a week's rest because of the head knock, Buntine was again concussed in round 18 when he returned against Fremantle, with the Giants putting him on ice for the rest of the season after the back-to-back head trauma.

Buntine - who also suffered a third concussion in 10 months the following season - revealed he underwent brain scans and an IQ test to make sure everything was functioning correctly, and while he backed the GWS doctors, there was concerns about his long-term health.

However, he praised the AFL and sport in general for its cautious stance toward concussion issues over the past few years.

"Obviously we have our concussion protocol, which our doctors up here [at GWS] have been fantastic with," Buntine said.

"I'm really happy that I did [all the brain tests] in reflection.

"Obviously you just sort of see the news and the importance of taking concussions really seriously.

"I would probably be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit anxious about what repercussions [concussions] could have.

"However, I'm really proud of how our club, the AFL and sport in general is trying to protect players and their health down the track."

Once Buntine managed to overcome his concussion issues, he was struck down by an ACL knee injury at the start of the 2017 season that needed a 12-month recovery period.

Despite struggling to get on the park over the his first six seasons, GWS decided to re-sign Buntine until the end of the 2019 campaign, even though he wasn't going to play again during 2017.

Matt Buntine quote

It was an incredible show of faith by the Giants, who not only rated Buntine's ability to play football but also the effect he had on the club and its players off the field.

Despite having a natural humility, Buntine recognises which qualities he possesses that were key in why the Giants decided to keep him on the list.

"I think my preparation and willingness and sort of pride in the way in which I go about things has probably held me in good stead and kept me around," Buntine said.

"I certainly pride myself on preparing myself as well as I can and helping the younger boys out now as well being a bit of an experienced head.

"I think good people do get looked after a little bit better. I do think I'm a good person and have good values and good character.

"I still think my footy is good enough to be playing at the AFL level too, which also helps."

Buntine managed to play nine games in each of 2018 and 2019 - but unfortunately wasn't a part of the grand final of the latter year, with the Giants going down to Richmond.

It was a bittersweet moment for the Giants foundation player, who was unbelievably proud of the journey undertaken by the club but understandingly disappointed to not play in the big one.

"I was so proud of the boys that the whole final series they kept finding a way to win against some tough opposition," he said.

"When you're not in the 22 or 23 for [a grand final] you certainly feel a little bit on the outer. You're upset that you can't go out there and fly the flag for our team and play on the big day."

Despite missing the team for the grand final, Buntine again signed a two-year contract extension at the end of 2019 - and was promptly appointed leader of the Giants 'Fit Club' - a personal training program designed to help keep staff fit.

Buntine has also been GWS' player delegate to the AFL Players Association since 2018 and it's an important role within the club he completes with pride and dedication.

"I think it's just great to be engaged in that space where we're looking after our peers in the industry," he said.

"It's important to make sure that the club is adhering to all protocols, but equally, it's being a support for the players."

A quad injury interrupted the start of Buntine's 2020 pre-season and once the footy started he found himself again just outside the best 22 - but this time in the COVID-forced hub with no reserves matches to help him break into the senior team.

But in testament to his extraordinary willpower, Buntine continued to work hard throughout last year and the recent pre-season to eventually break into the GWS team for their most recent two matches against Melbourne and Collingwood.

Matt Buntine GWS

"It's just great to get out there and perform and play my role in a team, which is something I really pride myself on," Buntine said on making his return to the AFL stage.

"Playing at Canberra and playing at the MCG on a Saturday night - having not played for nearly two years - you sort of pinch yourself, but you sort of embrace it and really enjoy those moments. Because, yeah, they don't come too easily."

In a story of incredible perseverance and desire to be a part of a football club, Giants coach Cameron articulates perfectly why Buntine has been a stalwart at GWS for nine years.

It's clear Buntine is a special part of the Giants fabric, even though he hasn't managed to get himself on the field as much as he would have liked.

"He is just a wonderful human being," Cameron said.

"He works extremely hard on his game every week, every second at this football club. He smashed the door down last week and played well.

"It's been really tough for him because he always finds himself just outside the best 22, but he just gets on with business and he keeps on going because he wants to develop his game and get everything out of himself.

"And that's just not on the footy field, that's in his life as well. He's driven to set himself up outside of football."

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.