Prediction 2023 GWS Giants - Predicted best 22, breakout player(s), general player/team discussion & questions

[domologue]

Yep Harry is once again a forward

Is it just me, or is the headline sowing the seeds with 'free agent giant' - like, come on Vic press, it's a bit early to start your destablising player campaign. Or am I getting paranoid?!

 

[Hendo_21]

Maybe Cadman is versatile enough to be the sub sometimes. He was a winger until recently.

I'd want Cadman playing a KPF, if he can't crack the side early on as a KPF that's fine just getting the reps at that position are in important for him whether its in the 1s or 2s. He's still pretty new to playing as a KPF so he still has a lot to learn despite being already really dominant as a junior so getting the reps even in the magoos are gonna be super valuable for him.

 

[Giant Pete]

I rate Idun enough to have him in 22, moving Whitfield upfield.

Whitfield played his best footy for the club in the season where he was fit and creating off half back.

 

[Giant Strides]

Is it just me, or is the headline sowing the seeds with 'free agent giant' - like, come on Vic press, it's a bit early to start your destablising player campaign. Or am I getting paranoid?!

Never paranoid where the #VICBIAS press are involved. I'm sure there will be increasing agitation as the year progresses until he re-signs.

 

[domologue]

Whitfield played his best footy for the club in the season where he was fit and creating off half back.

Yeah... but that was 3-4 years ago... maybe more.

I love him, and rate him at his best, but he's been on a steady decline since 2019!

 

[Giant Pete]

Yeah... but that was 3-4 years ago... maybe more.

I love him, and rate him at his best, but he's been on a steady decline since 2019!

He’s been injury affected for a fair portion and played out of position imo.

 

[domologue]

He’s been injury affected for a fair portion and played out of position imo.

He certainly has been playing like he's worried about getting hurt. Doesn't have the same bravery when taking a play/a hit on.

 

[Hendo_21]

He certainly has been playing like he's worried about getting hurt. Doesn't have the same bravery when taking a play/a hit on.

Man I disagree I feel like he takes so many big hits, he's had a real rough go with injuries the last couple years, he was fantastic in 2020. Think the elite player is for sure still in there just needs to get a clean run.

 

[RowellAnderson12]

Has Whitfield had any post-season surgeries? Think he's ankle was cooked

 

[Giant Strides]

Has Whitfield had any post-season surgeries? Think he's ankle was cooked

Yes.

GWS also expects two-time best and fairest winner Lachie Whitfield to transition back into full training in January after undergoing ankle surgery at the end of a disappointing home and away season for the club. The 28-year-old chose to play through the pain and carry the injury in the second half of the season, despite the detrimental effect it had on his output.

All-Australian Giant undergoes surgery, slow build for star midfielder

Defender Sam Taylor is expected to return to full training in January after a wrist reconstruction

www.afl.com.au

 

[GWS Goose]

Cam Fleeton and Ryan Angwin will be coming from way back!

They always talk real positively about Angwin, I think internally they rate him.
The December birthday and light frame as always going to be a slow burn

I havent seen enough to have an opinion either way myself.

 

[Mikevk123]

B- C.Idun S.Taylor I.Cumming
HB- L.Ash J.Buckley L.Whitfield
C- H.Perryman T.Green F.Callaghan
HF- T.Greene H.Himmleberg C.Stone
F- T.Bedford J.Hogan A.Cadman
FOLL- K.Briggs S.Coniglio J.Kelly
I/C- N.Haynes, M.Flynn, B.Daniels, C.Ward

 

[Giant Strides]

B- C.Idun S.Taylor I.Cumming
HB- L.Ash J.Buckley L.Whitfield
C- H.Perryman T.Green F.Callaghan
HF- T.Greene H.Himmleberg C.Stone
F- T.Bedford J.Hogan A.Cadman
FOLL- K.Briggs S.Coniglio J.Kelly
I/C- N.Haynes, M.Flynn, B.Daniels, C.Ward

That could certainly be the team.

 

[GWS Goose]

B- C.Idun S.Taylor I.Cumming
HB- L.Ash J.Buckley L.Whitfield
C- H.Perryman T.Green F.Callaghan
HF- T.Greene H.Himmleberg C.Stone
F- T.Bedford J.Hogan A.Cadman
FOLL- K.Briggs S.Coniglio J.Kelly
I/C- N.Haynes, M.Flynn, B.Daniels, C.Ward

That won't be far off

 

[Giant Pete]

That won't be far off

Yep. Perrymans not a wingman though. Will be on-ball.

 

[GWS Goose]

Yeah... but that was 3-4 years ago... maybe more.

I love him, and rate him at his best, but he's been on a steady decline since 2019!

He has a very good 21 from memory

 

[PaythePerryman]

B- C.Idun S.Taylor I.Cumming
HB- A.Kennedy N.Haynes L.Whitfield
C- H.Perryman T.Green L.Ash
HF- T.Greene H.Himmleberg F.Callaghan
F- T.Bedford J.Hogan C.Stone
FOLL- B.Preuss S.Coniglio J.Kelly
I/C- J.Buckley, M.Flynn, B.Daniels, C.Ward

I don't think we will play Cadman straight away given he's a young key forward and if we do it'll be as an offensive wing given his running power. But I wanna see Callaghan slot into that role first so I've picked this line up.
Plenty of run in the backline.
I'm throwing Ash into a defined role in the middle and giving him the responsibility to be the mid I think he could be rather than moving him around week to week.
Stone was flashy in the forward line when he was healthy so I'm starting him forward.
I'm still convinced Preuss is our only ruck that has game breaking ability.
The rest of it is pretty standard but my main focus would be defining roles within the team and consistency...no more swinging the magnets from week to week.

Anyone got any New Years predictions?
Where do we finish?
Which top team do we beat at home?
How many games will Cadman play?

 

[Hendo_21]

B- C.Idun S.Taylor I.Cumming
HB- A.Kennedy N.Haynes L.Whitfield
C- H.Perryman T.Green L.Ash
HF- T.Greene H.Himmleberg F.Callaghan
F- T.Bedford J.Hogan C.Stone
FOLL- B.Preuss S.Coniglio J.Kelly
I/C- J.Buckley, M.Flynn, B.Daniels, C.Ward

I don't think we will play Cadman straight away given he's a young key forward and if we do it'll be as an offensive wing given his running power. But I wanna see Callaghan slot into that role first so I've picked this line up.
Plenty of run in the backline.
I'm throwing Ash into a defined role in the middle and giving him the responsibility to be the mid I think he could be rather than moving him around week to week.
Stone was flashy in the forward line when he was healthy so I'm starting him forward.
I'm still convinced Preuss is our only ruck that has game breaking ability.
The rest of it is pretty standard but my main focus would be defining roles within the team and consistency...no more swinging the magnets from week to week.

Anyone got any New Years predictions?
Where do we finish?
Which top team do we beat at home?
How many games will Cadman play?

Really hoping we don't keep seeing Ash on the wing just don't think he has the ability to find enough of it to impact the game enough unless he's pretty significantly improved since last season, half back is his spot I'd be playing him there unless there's a major development in his game to be able to play as a winger and I think prediciting that sort of development is difficult. Pretty much every year there's a team thats bottom 4/6 and they shoot up the ladder, I really don't see why that team can't be us, we still have a strong core of veteran talent that can contribute, plenty of young guys that are good contributors that have the opportunity to take that next step, easier schedule and a new gameplan that might take some time to adjust to for other teams. Think this team should be competitng for a spot in the 8. I'm really not worried too much about how many games Cadman plays this year tbh, most young KPF barely play their first season and might even only play a few more games the following season, JUH, Thilthorpe, McDonald, Georgiades, Allen all of them only played a handful of games their rookie seasons so if he only plays idk maybe 5 I think thats fine.

 

[Giant Gutsache]

Really hoping we don't keep seeing Ash on the wing just don't think he has the ability to find enough of it to impact the game enough unless he's pretty significantly improved since last season, half back is his spot I'd be playing him there unless there's a major development in his game to be able to play as a winger and I think prediciting that sort of development is difficult. Pretty much every year there's a team thats bottom 4/6 and they shoot up the ladder, I really don't see why that team can't be us, we still have a strong core of veteran talent that can contribute, plenty of young guys that are good contributors that have the opportunity to take that next step, easier schedule and a new gameplan that might take some time to adjust to for other teams. Think this team should be competitng for a spot in the 8. I'm really not worried too much about how many games Cadman plays this year tbh, most young KPF barely play their first season and might even only play a few more games the following season, JUH, Thilthorpe, McDonald, Georgiades, Allen all of them only played a handful of games their rookie seasons so if he only plays idk maybe 5 I think thats fine.

I’ve got tempered expectations about a rapid rise up the ladder in 2023 I think the coaching panel will have a bit of licence to evolve a game plan and get games into players for a tilt at a flag in 2-3 years.
I‘d prefer to see development and planning over a repeat of 2021 where we fluked a spot in the finals and a win the first week and everything was expected to be Rosie. I want us competitive in the pointy end of finals and hope the club has the patience for the new team to time it right.
I share your concerns about Ash. He was so good for a year and a bit then went backwards. Probably sounds crazy, but he could make a decent pressure forward. He could be sent to the wing to nullify the best opposition winger.
The obvious break out opportunities are the talented guys who’ve been injured, particularly Stone, Preuss & Callaghan. Hopefully Preuss plays his natural game and stops throwing his weight around like he‘s Mummy. Doesn’t work for him and hurts the team. Big Tom is ready to be more physical and Perryman is tough enough to help with the rough stuff that Taranto and particularly Hopper we’re good for. We might see more frequent mid stints from Toby.
I’ll be surprised if Leek isn’t dominating games this year.

 

[PaythePerryman]

Really hoping we don't keep seeing Ash on the wing just don't think he has the ability to find enough of it to impact the game enough unless he's pretty significantly improved since last season, half back is his spot I'd be playing him there unless there's a major development in his game to be able to play as a winger and I think prediciting that sort of development is difficult. Pretty much every year there's a team thats bottom 4/6 and they shoot up the ladder, I really don't see why that team can't be us, we still have a strong core of veteran talent that can contribute, plenty of young guys that are good contributors that have the opportunity to take that next step, easier schedule and a new gameplan that might take some time to adjust to for other teams. Think this team should be competitng for a spot in the 8. I'm really not worried too much about how many games Cadman plays this year tbh, most young KPF barely play their first season and might even only play a few more games the following season, JUH, Thilthorpe, McDonald, Georgiades, Allen all of them only played a handful of games their rookie seasons so if he only plays idk maybe 5 I think thats fine.

I want Ash to play midfield (attending centre bounces) alongside Tom Green. He has strength and pace. Athletically he's one of our better options for developing a new elite midfielder with a different style to the Taranto/Hopper/Green archetype.

Happy for Callaghan to start on the wing.

I'm glad we have competition for spots coming up for our forward line. You'd think if you were Riccardi you'd be sweating that your shot was on the ropes.

 

[Hendo_21]

I’ve got tempered expectations about a rapid rise up the ladder in 2023 I think the coaching panel will have a bit of licence to evolve a game plan and get games into players for a tilt at a flag in 2-3 years.
I‘d prefer to see development and planning over a repeat of 2021 where we fluked a spot in the finals and a win the first week and everything was expected to be Rosie. I want us competitive in the pointy end of finals and hope the club has the patience for the new team to time it right.
I share your concerns about Ash. He was so good for a year and a bit then went backwards. Probably sounds crazy, but he could make a decent pressure forward. He could be sent to the wing to nullify the best opposition winger.
The obvious break out opportunities are the talented guys who’ve been injured, particularly Stone, Preuss & Callaghan. Hopefully Preuss plays his natural game and stops throwing his weight around like he‘s Mummy. Doesn’t work for him and hurts the team. Big Tom is ready to be more physical and Perryman is tough enough to help with the rough stuff that Taranto and particularly Hopper we’re good for. We might see more frequent mid stints from Toby.
I’ll be surprised if Leek isn’t dominating games this year.

Since we used such a high pick on Ash I really think we have to give him every opportunity to fail before throwing him in a gimmicky role like a tagging winger or as a pressure forward, those roles aren't the type of players you use premium selections on like we have with Ash. He was looking so promising as a half back and he's just been moved from that position for no real reason to where he hasn't really looked that good ever since moving up the field a bit more. I'm hoping for more Toby midfield minutes, doesn't have to be a permanent role in there but a consistent role in which he's given a few opportunities every game at centre bounces to win the footy and then push forward being matched up on midfielders.

 

[Giant Strides]

I'd agree re Lachie Ash: I hope to see him either moved into the midfield rotation (as someone who can get their hands on the ball with some speed to zip away), or back to half-back, where his speed alongside Isaac Cumming can be used as a counterattacking weapon. He was great when he first started, but seemed to have his attack trained out by Leon's very conservative and stoppages-based game plan. Hopefully the new gameplan suits him in one of those two positions better.

With Aaron Cadman, as I've said previously, I think we'll aim to give him a solid go in first grade, providing his body is fine and he shows solid capability during pre-season training. Yes; talls take time to develop, but he's a mobile tall and I reckon we'll want to give him some first grade exposure. Possibly from round 1, but I'm not counting on it - I would hope for 8 to 10 games for the H&A season.

 

[Giant Pete]

Ash could easily play midfield or halfback. His willingness to take the game on with his run and repeat speed has already caught the coaches eye.

 

[Hendo_21]

What games are people pointing to, to show that Ash can be a quality midfielder, outside of his games as a tagger I don't think he's had great performances in there as a ball winner and someone that helps us offensively, in theory he'd be great in there having that type of speed and run and carry to race away from stoppages but I don't think he's really shown the ability to be a ball winner in there and have impact for us offensively.

 

[Hendo_21]

Some of these clips are ridiculous, in for a huge year.