Analysis 2025 GWS Giants - Best 22, breakout player(s), Congrats Sam Taylor AA & Tom Green KSM

[Giant Pete]

Our centre bounce work is so poor. It’s hard to believe how bad it is considering the players we roll through there. It’s costing us games regularly.

 

[dlanod]

Article in the AFL website that shows the work of our backline so far this season

GREATER Western Sydney's backline has viewed it as a "badge of honour" that it has been able to stand up under a weekly barrage of inside 50s this season, which has only been exceeded by bottom-placed West Coast.

The Giants have been experimenting with their defence this season and looking for an edge after some key departures last year, but they have been doing so while conceding 57.8 opposition entries each week.

'Badge of honour': How Giants are defying inside-50 avalanche

The Giants have lost the inside-50 count in all but two of their games this season, but stood firm to concede the fifth fewest points

www.afl.com.au

That shouldn't be a badge of honour, that's the sign of a dysfunctional midfield.

 

[Giant Pete]

We aren’t playing finals this year. Have multiple problems that there has been no progress in.
This group had their best chance last season and totally blew it.

 

[Battlepants]

We aren’t playing finals this year. Have multiple problems that there has been no progress in.
This group had their best chance last season and totally blew it.

Our best chance was the 2023 prelim against Collingwood, which got blown by the most disgusting display of umpiring I've ever seen.

 

[Giant Pete]

The Himmelberg contract was a big mistake.

 

[Maximus 2011]

The Himmelberg contract was a big mistake.

Agreed!!! Signed until the end of 2029. I would argue he has never been in our top 10 most important players week to week.

 

[Giant Pete]

Agreed!!! Signed until the end of 2029. I would argue he has never been in our top 10 most important players week to week.

Spot on. Has anyone got our b and f for the last 5 years for HH?

 

[Giant Pete]

Imagine having the best key defensive trio and still conceding 100+ points consistently.
That’s how bad our midfield and system is.
Watching teams not only win the ball from clearance so easily, but move it from end to end, is so flattening.

 

[Tenens Pila]

Himmelberg would have been a smart signing if he played in his natural position.

i.e. forward.

Waste of money and upcoming backline talent where he is now.

Similar to Cadman in reverse. He was initially in the backline.

Why can't Cadman be that long limbed, gangly halfback that many teams have that are good at intercepts and spoiling, and occasionally the short burst of speed to break the line.

Kills two birds with one stone.

 

[Giant Pete]

Himmelberg would have been a smart signing if he played in his natural position.

i.e. forward.

Waste of money and upcoming backline talent where he is now.

Similar to Cadman in reverse. He was initially in the backline.

Why can't Cadman be that long limbed, gangly halfback that many teams have that are good at intercepts and spoiling, and occasionally the short burst of speed to break the line.

Kills two birds with one stone.

Cadman has never played in the backline. He was a winger who grew late and then started playing forward.

 

[Giant Gutsache]

Himmelberg would have been a smart signing if he played in his natural position.

i.e. forward.

Waste of money and upcoming backline talent where he is now.

Similar to Cadman in reverse. He was initially in the backline.

Why can't Cadman be that long limbed, gangly halfback that many teams have that are good at intercepts and spoiling, and occasionally the short burst of speed to break the line.

Kills two birds with one stone.

Sounds like you’re describing Leek.
Agree with getting better use from Cadman’s athletic gifts.

 

[Maximus 2011]

Sounds like you’re describing Leek.
Agree with getting better use from Cadman’s athletic gifts.

Cadman just needs to learn to mark and kick straight and then he will be really good.... haha

 

[Tenens Pila]

Cadman has never played in the backline. He was a winger who grew late and then started playing forward.

Yep - my mistake. Thought I read that somewhere but I can't find the source so that's on me.

Point still stands though.

You've got a player who started in the forward line, moved to the backs and is now playing on the wing.

That's not working.

Another player started on the wing then moved to the forward line.

I'd argue that's not working.

That's 2 positional changes that might actually be beneficial.

Just wish the Giants selection panel wasn't so damn stubborn. Last year Perryman wanted to play in the middle yet Coniglio was persistently selected despite being clearly injured. Perryman is now doing extremely well at the Pies - of course - in the middle.

The selection panel has a lot to answer for.

 

[Capital hawk]

Yep - my mistake. Thought I read that somewhere but I can't find the source so that's on me.

Point still stands though.

You've got a player who started in the forward line, moved to the backs and is now playing on the wing.

That's not working.

Another player started on the wing then moved to the forward line.

I'd argue that's not working.

That's 2 positional changes that might actually be beneficial.

Just wish the Giants selection panel wasn't so damn stubborn. Last year Perryman wanted to play in the middle yet Coniglio was persistently selected despite being clearly injured. Perryman is now doing extremely well at the Pies - of course - in the middle.

The selection panel has a lot to answer for.

Don't think he is spending too much time in the Pies midfield! Still would love to have him in our backline currently. Tough and courageous player and a good leader.

 

[Tenens Pila]

Don't think he is spending too much time in the Pies midfield!

A quick Google shows many articles expressing otherwise. Seems to be doing a lot of halfback to half forward,

 

[Capital hawk]

A quick Google shows many articles expressing otherwise. Seems to be doing a lot of halfback to half forward,

Does not attend center bounces.

 

[domologue]

Does not attend center bounces.

He did for the first two games, and didn't get near it.

Still, miss him desperately and he'd be getting mid minutes next week considering our outs!

But for 850 per year? Still think it was the right choice, even if it hurts.

 

[Giant Pete]

We could’ve used the money spent on HH and put it into Perryman’s contract.

 

[sydney_gws]

Yep - my mistake. Thought I read that somewhere but I can't find the source so that's on me.

Point still stands though.

You've got a player who started in the forward line, moved to the backs and is now playing on the wing.

That's not working.

Another player started on the wing then moved to the forward line.

I'd argue that's not working.

That's 2 positional changes that might actually be beneficial.

Just wish the Giants selection panel wasn't so damn stubborn. Last year Perryman wanted to play in the middle yet Coniglio was persistently selected despite being clearly injured. Perryman is now doing extremely well at the Pies - of course - in the middle.

The selection panel has a lot to answer for.

I think it is McCartneys doing . He also did the trade up for pick 1.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

FoxSports also reflecting the analysis of people in this forum of the impact from the loss of our departed players

“I think they’re starting to pay the price of the players they lost in the off-season when you think about Perryman, Cumming, Peatling and these depth players. Because now all of a sudden, their depth players are young kids.

“We’re talking about Cody Angove, Jacob Wehr, (Joe) Fonti, Harvey Thomas, even Darcy Jones. These are all going to be great long-term players for this footy club. But at this stage in their development and their career, they aren’t the biggest team physically.

“There’s a lot of reliance on Tom Green

12

Tom Green

Age

24

Ht

192cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

4star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

3star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

4star

CL

2.8

5star

in the midfield to win a lot of the contested ball. They’ve got some elite competitors defensively and a couple forward of the ball, but on the whole I just feel when these games are played as an arm-wrestle, they generally don’t come out on top.”

Montagna suggested the Giants were better in “shootouts” compared to “arm-wrestles”.

Alarm bells as Giants ‘starting to pay the price’ for losing crucial players amid season dip

Alarm bells as AFL contender ‘starting to pay the price’ for Giant trade toll and ‘list build’

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Tenens Pila]

Does not attend center bounces.

I didn't say that. That's your words, not mine. Working through the middle does not imply starting positions.

 

[Orange crush]

FoxSports also reflecting the analysis of people in this forum of the impact from the loss of our departed players

“I think they’re starting to pay the price of the players they lost in the off-season when you think about Perryman, Cumming, Peatling and these depth players. Because now all of a sudden, their depth players are young kids.

“We’re talking about Cody Angove, Jacob Wehr, (Joe) Fonti, Harvey Thomas, even Darcy Jones. These are all going to be great long-term players for this footy club. But at this stage in their development and their career, they aren’t the biggest team physically.

“There’s a lot of reliance on Tom Green in the midfield to win a lot of the contested ball. They’ve got some elite competitors defensively and a couple forward of the ball, but on the whole I just feel when these games are played as an arm-wrestle, they generally don’t come out on top.”

Montagna suggested the Giants were better in “shootouts” compared to “arm-wrestles”.

Alarm bells as Giants ‘starting to pay the price’ for losing crucial players amid season dip

Alarm bells as AFL contender ‘starting to pay the price’ for Giant trade toll and ‘list build’

www.foxsports.com.au

Cogs, Kelly and Binga injured is what is hurting

 

[GWS Goose]

Cogs, Kelly and Binga injured is what is hurting

3 of the same type doesn't help.

 

[Orange crush]

3 of the same type doesn't help.

They are 3 who’d be running through the midfield ahead of blokes like cumming and Pez …. Just lazy reporting

 

[Battlepants]

Saw this on Reddit which I found interesting.

Think it's fairly accurate in showing the pattern for a lot of our games this year. Come out firing at the start of the game, go to sleep a little in the 2nd quarter and let the other team back in, get smashed in the 3rd quarter and then fight back in the 4th once the game is already beyond reach.