News Giants in the Media

[Giant Strides]

Hi all,

This is not specifically on topic, but rather than create a specific thread for this, I'll place it here and a reminder in the Forum Rules thread, to gain maximum exposure.

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[Bjo187]

Monday Cal-culations: Forwards of the future, 'Gov' love, Swans should consider rival

In Monday Cal-culations, Callum Twomey looks at how the Giants are using the sub, footy's best 20 and under forwards and more

www.afl.com.au

WHY THE SWANS SHOULD CONSIDER A RIVAL​

HERE'S a thought. In their search to replace outgoing CEO Tom Harley, the Swans should look across town.

Dave Matthews has been the boss of the Giants since 2011 – making him the longest-serving CEO at any club. His start there came after running game development at the AFL.

The AFL's gain in Harley is Sydney's loss and leaves the club with a new CEO to go with a new coach, football boss, list manager and recruiting manager in the past two years. Harley is remaining at the Swans until at least the end of the men's season as the Swans start their transition process.

New South Wales remains the AFL code's greatest frontier and nobody knows that as acutely as Matthews and the Giants, who continue to try different ways to find an edge in the rugby league dominated region. Matthews was on the front foot on the weekend as well, responding to the Saints' call to abolish the northern Academies, as revealed by AFL.com.au last week, as "laughable".

The Swans and Giants have had a tense relationship since GWS entered the competition as the brash little brother, but the barbs, tweets, dramatic finals and derbies should be put aside as Sydney picks up its process to replace Harley. Matthews is worth a call.

Apparently it's out of Longmire, former swans player Craig Bolton who's a successful businessman or Jason McCartney.

McCartney has been good overall and wouldn't wanna lose him, but not sure if it's him or Caruso behind the neglect of not adding any mature talent to the midfield the past few years, that was an obvious error, which we're definitely seeing the negatives of now.

 

[PaythePerryman]

Apparently it's out of Longmire, former swans player Craig Bolton who's a successful businessman or Jason McCartney.

McCartney has been good overall and wouldn't wanna lose him, but not sure if it's him or Caruso behind the neglect of not adding any mature talent to the midfield the past few years, that was an obvious error, which we're definitely seeing the negatives of now.

Mature midfield talent?
What like Coniglio, Kelly and Ward + Toby.
If anything I think we have it covered with a good mix of guys entering their prime and guys in the twilight of their career.
Couple of injuries make any list look thin.

Also that is McCartneys job not Caruso's.

 

[GWS Goose]

Apparently it's out of Longmire, former swans player Craig Bolton who's a successful businessman or Jason McCartney.

McCartney has been good overall and wouldn't wanna lose him, but not sure if it's him or Caruso behind the neglect of not adding any mature talent to the midfield the past few years, that was an obvious error, which we're definitely seeing the negatives of now.

We have bought in Bedford, Hogan and Stringer in recent years.

The main reason we dont do that is more around the salary cap pressures.

 

[Bjo187]

Mature midfield talent?
What like Coniglio, Kelly and Ward + Toby.
If anything I think we have it covered with a good mix of guys entering their prime and guys in the twilight of their career.
Couple of injuries make any list look thin.

Also that is McCartneys job not Caruso's.

I've been on about this for years on here and it has played out exactly as predicted. When in the window you need to add mature depth, not rely on stars in their twilight years that are gradually falling off in performance each year and some young draftees hoping for natural growth.

You've gotta come to the table each year with something new, mature reinforcements to thicken the soup in the midfield and create selection pressure which is non existent.

The club should be winning flags and would be, if the midfield wasn't C grade and dragging down the A grade forward line and defence.

 

[Bjo187]

We have bought in Bedford, Hogan and Stringer in recent years.

The main reason we dont do that is more around the salary cap pressures.

3 guys drafted as forwards, 2 prior to 2023.

I'm talking about when in the window (and the best team in the comp at the end of 23), you can't go to the well again with practically the same list other than some draftees and hope to get better. Particularly when every club around the same mark is adding to their talent.

You can search my history, I stated it was a big mistake at the time and at the end of last year and the fall off from the end of 23 to now has been the predictable result. A lot on here started to agree.

The club should have been in the market for guys like Kennedy and Parker last year that would have come cheap, two guys good at contested ball, coming cheap and goal kicking mids to support a thin midfield (as examples).

Concious of the fact the club has never been able to attract A graders in the prime of their careers, the above is how you squeeze out a flag whilst Kelly, Coniglio, Whitefield etc are still playing.

 

[GWS Goose]

They have always prioritized adding to the list via the draft and the improvement to come from within.

Which they have done again this year.

You can definitely get better without bringing anyone in if you have a lot of youth on the list which we do.

 

[Bjo187]

They have always prioritized adding to the list via the draft and the improvement to come from within.

Which they have done again this year.

You can definitely get better without bringing anyone in if you have a lot of youth on the list which we do.

Agree to disagree then, I've never seen a club in the modern era go from a contender to premier without adding some mature talent when in the window. Giants only came into the window again in 23.

You can't just afford to have gap years when contending, cross your legs and fingers and hope for the best that some of your draftees mature quickly enough to circumvent the inevitable drop off of guys like coniglio and kelly etc.

The midfield is so bereft of talent they have to pull from strong areas now to cover for the lack of quality. It's been neglected. The guys you bring in don't even have to be stars, but they need to add to depth in a weak position, create selection pressure and not be snapped in half in a final coz they're too young and skinny (like we saw last year).

 

[GWS Goose]

They wouldnt have planned on having Cogs, Daniels (who was playing midfield and looking amazing), Kelly, Ward and Finn to all miss with injuries.
They would have been very comfortable that Rowsten, XOH, McMullen, Leake were more than capable back up and likely to continue to get better.
Having so many injuries in the same position is hard to cover, they would not have thought that they would be fully relying on the next level guys.
Even with that we have got to the bye 9 and 6 and won 4 of our last 6 beating 3 of the other finals teams.

When the troops come back Im still very hopeful we can do some damage.

Im hoping we can get rid of our injuries now and have a reasonably fit list at finals time which we've only had twice (2016 & 2023), every other year we've had key players out.

 

[Bjo187]

They wouldnt have planned on having Cogs, Daniels (who was playing midfield and looking amazing), Kelly, Ward and Finn to all miss with injuries.

Cogs has had one good season in the last 6, Daniels is a forward robbing Peter to pay Paul to cover as a mid, Kelly is going ok but hasn't been an A grader for a few years, Ward got coaxed outta retirement to go another year but was a winger not a centre square mid anymore and finn has bounced but his bounce has been ineffective, coz the rest of the midfield has stagnated or gone backwards.

They would have been very comfortable that Rowsten, XOH, McMullen, Leake were more than capable back up and likely to continue to get better.

Yeah but these guys are in their first few years, you can't rely on them in big finals yet. McMullen I like but proved he's nowhere near ready in that swans final last year. Rowston I saw a lot of at Calder I rate, but Kingsley clearly doesn't, leake I rate but again is still too young and o'hallaran is just an average player. Relying on these guys in a grand final, I don't like the chances. It's basically 2 A graders in Finn and Tom Green, then nothing much else coming through or close. Lions, pies have about 4 A graders or more in their midfield and this is where flags are won.

Having so many injuries in the same position is hard to cover, they would not have thought that they would be fully relying on the next level guys.
Even with that we have got to the bye 9 and 6 and won 4 of our last 6 beating 3 of the other finals teams.

There have been a number of games, similar to last year, where the team has won but all the statistics have indicated otherwise. Straight kicking getting them across the line which isn't sustainable.

Do you think they'll win the flag this year? I don't, the midfield is too ordinary and it's a waste coz the forward line and backline has so much talent. Off the back of 23, they should have been playing in grand finals, but have gradually slid backwards year upon year. This has been due to poor list strategy in not strengthening a weak area, when in the window, to go that extra step.

When the troops come back Im still very hopeful we can do some damage.

Im hoping we can get rid of our injuries now and have a reasonably fit list at finals time which we've only had twice (2016 & 2023), every other year we've had key players out.

The list was pretty fit in finals in 24. Guys like Cumming and Bedford got pulled from defence and f50 to fill the void a bit in the midfield, but the loss of mature guys in Cumming, Perryman and Peatling were not replaced at all, 2 of those were playing midfield in finals last year and the midfield was already a bit bare bones for winning a flag. Other than stringer who's cream on the forward line cake, nothing was added to an already weak midfield group and we're seeing the clear results of that this year, by being absolutely smashed outta the middle every week.

 

[Orange crush]

Cogs has had one good season in the last 6, Daniels is a forward robbing Peter to pay Paul to cover as a mid, Kelly is going ok but hasn't been an A grader for a few years, Ward got coaxed outta retirement to go another year but was a winger not a centre square mid anymore and finn has bounced but his bounce has been ineffective, coz the rest of the midfield has stagnated or gone backwards.



Yeah but these guys are in their first few years, you can't rely on them in big finals yet. McMullen I like but proved he's nowhere near ready in that swans final last year. Rowston I saw a lot of at Calder I rate, but Kingsley clearly doesn't, leake I rate but again is still too young and o'hallaran is just an average player. Relying on these guys in a grand final, I don't like the chances. It's basically 2 A graders in Finn and Tom Green, then nothing much else coming through or close. Lions, pies have about 4 A graders or more in their midfield and this is where flags are won.



There have been a number of games, similar to last year, where the team has won but all the statistics have indicated otherwise. Straight kicking getting them across the line which isn't sustainable.

Do you think they'll win the flag this year? I don't, the midfield is too ordinary and it's a waste coz the forward line and backline has so much talent. Off the back of 23, they should have been playing in grand finals, but have gradually slid backwards year upon year. This has been due to poor list strategy in not strengthening a weak area, when in the window, to go that extra step.



The list was pretty fit in finals in 24. Guys like Cumming and Bedford got pulled from defence and f50 to fill the void a bit in the midfield, but the loss of mature guys in Cumming, Perryman and Peatling were not replaced at all, 2 of those were playing midfield in finals last year and the midfield was already a bit bare bones for winning a flag. Other than stringer who's cream on the forward line cake, nothing was added to an already weak midfield group and we're seeing the clear results of that this year, by being absolutely smashed outta the middle every week.

Just for argument sakes …. Who are these mature age back ups you feel we should have brought in? Coz we have had a crack at a few

 

[Bjo187]

Just for argument sakes …. Who are these mature age back ups you feel we should have brought in? Coz we have had a crack at a few

I listed two above, Kennedy who's a former giant now killing it at the dogs and Parker, who was already based in Sydney and doing really well now at the kangaroos. I hate to think if Tom Green goes down how the contested ball and centre clearance numbers will go, they're already really bad with the little help he's receiving and they were an issue last year.

It's gotta be guys at clubs that are without opportunity or a club going in a new youthful direction that old stars are being squeezed out. They come cheap trade wise and money wise but could help win a flag in a good side. Basically the stringer model used to attract him, but for at least two midfielders.

 

[Orange crush]

I listed two above, Kennedy who's a former giant now killing it at the dogs and Parker, who was already based in Sydney and doing really well now at the kangaroos. I hate to think if Tom Green goes down how the contested ball and centre clearance numbers will go, they're already really bad with the little help he's receiving and they were an issue last year.

It's gotta be guys at clubs that are without opportunity or a club going in a new youthful direction that old stars are being squeezed out. They come cheap trade wise and money wise but could help win a flag in a good side. Basically the stringer model used to attract him, but for at least two midfielders.

Mate, we aren’t getting a Kennedy or even a Jack graham …. Players with that upside aren’t coming for what we can offer dollar wise

We tried to get JOM, we tried to get Breust we even chatted with Shiel … the relocation costs mean we have to offer more than we can afford

I’d like a crack at Alex Davies this year …. But I’m not even sure he’s better than any of our 2-3 year options

Jack Steele …. I’m sure we’ll talk but he’ll get better offers

 

[Bjo187]

Mate, we aren’t getting a Kennedy or even a Jack graham …. Players with that upside aren’t coming for what we can offer dollar wise

We tried to get JOM, we tried to get Breust we even chatted with Shiel … the relocation costs mean we have to offer more than we can afford

I’d like a crack at Alex Davies this year …. But I’m not even sure he’s better than any of our 2-3 year options

Jack Steele …. I’m sure we’ll talk but he’ll get better offers

Actually Jack McRae was kicking around on the market too. The lure of playing in a premiership team towards the end of your career and being guaranteed a position in a weak midfield, compared to finishing your career at a bog average st kilda or north would have appeal.

Kennedy may have been harder, but he has links to the club and might have liked getting back with old mates and being of high importance in a team that lacks contested mids. The dogs have arguably the strongest midfield in the comp, so he may have seen that more of a risk.

O'Meara I don't really rate but he was somehow still getting games over Will Brodie at Freo, Brodie and hustwaite from the hawks are two younger options stuck in the queue that would fill a giants need well.

There are actually a few ex giants coming outta contract that are potentially being squeezed outta their clubs due to strength of midfield or a change in direction to youth. Steele I'd be going after hard, treloar might not get re signed, sheil definitely won't get re signed (funnily enough I watch him at vfl and afl level and like I said last year, I feel he's actually a more well rounded footballer than 5 years ago, his kicking and defensive running is better). So a few options there if McCartney comes outta his malaise and picks up the phone early.

 

[Orange crush]

Actually Jack McRae was kicking around on the market too. The lure of playing in a premiership team towards the end of your career and being guaranteed a position in a weak midfield, compared to finishing your career at a bog average st kilda or north would have appeal.

Kennedy may have been harder, but he has links to the club and might have liked getting back with old mates and being of high importance in a team that lacks contested mids. The dogs have arguably the strongest midfield in the comp so he may have seen that more of a risk.

O'Meara I don't really rate but he was somehow still getting games over Will Brodie at Freo, Brodie and hustwaite from the hawks are two younger options stuck in the queue that would fill a giants need well.

There are actually a few ex giants coming outta contract that are potentially being squeezed outta their clubs due to strength of midfield or a change in direction to youth. Steele I'd be going after, treloar might not get re signed, sheil definitely won't get re signed (funnily enough I watch him at vfl and afl level and like I said last year, I feel he's actually a more well rounded footballer than 5 years ago, his kicking and defensive running is better). So a few options there if McCartney comes outta his malaise and picks up the phone early.

Bog average St Kikda are still offering above bog average dollars …. That is the problem you keep ignoring. Treloar is no go … guy is cooked. We agree on Steele.

 

[PaythePerryman]

Yeah it all sounds good in hindsight but I'm not sure any of those targets were realistically ever going to come to the Giants. MAYBE Dylan Shiel

9

Dylan Shiel

Age

33

Ht

182cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.6

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

12.2

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

3.9

5star

MG

410.2

5star

D

23.4

5star

K

13.6

5star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.2

2star

T

3.4

4star

MG

334.4

5star

D

19.8

5star

K

8.4

4star

HB

11.4

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

and if you think that would have helped id be baffled.
I'm not worried with our lack of recruitment of midfield depth/maturity. I'd rather have those young guys going through there.
The reality of you can't have an A grade midfield, backline and forward line. The salary cap doesn't really allow it.
So we have prioritised our backline and with some clever moves made a relatively cheap but elite forward line.
Our midfield has two emerging stars and a bunch of very good players late in their careers.

 

[GWS Goose]

Cogs has had one good season in the last 6, Daniels is a forward robbing Peter to pay Paul to cover as a mid, Kelly is going ok but hasn't been an A grader for a few years, Ward got coaxed outta retirement to go another year but was a winger not a centre square mid anymore and finn has bounced but his bounce has been ineffective, coz the rest of the midfield has stagnated or gone backwards.



Yeah but these guys are in their first few years, you can't rely on them in big finals yet. McMullen I like but proved he's nowhere near ready in that swans final last year. Rowston I saw a lot of at Calder I rate, but Kingsley clearly doesn't, leake I rate but again is still too young and o'hallaran is just an average player. Relying on these guys in a grand final, I don't like the chances. It's basically 2 A graders in Finn and Tom Green, then nothing much else coming through or close. Lions, pies have about 4 A graders or more in their midfield and this is where flags are won.



There have been a number of games, similar to last year, where the team has won but all the statistics have indicated otherwise. Straight kicking getting them across the line which isn't sustainable.

Do you think they'll win the flag this year? I don't, the midfield is too ordinary and it's a waste coz the forward line and backline has so much talent. Off the back of 23, they should have been playing in grand finals, but have gradually slid backwards year upon year. This has been due to poor list strategy in not strengthening a weak area, when in the window, to go that extra step.



The list was pretty fit in finals in 24. Guys like Cumming and Bedford got pulled from defence and f50 to fill the void a bit in the midfield, but the loss of mature guys in Cumming, Perryman and Peatling were not replaced at all, 2 of those were playing midfield in finals last year and the midfield was already a bit bare bones for winning a flag. Other than stringer who's cream on the forward line cake, nothing was added to an already weak midfield group and we're seeing the clear results of that this year, by being absolutely smashed outta the middle every week.

If you believe the assessment of those guys as being no good than we aren't in the window and bringing in mature depth players at the expense of the next generation makes less sense.
If we're not going to win it, Id rather get games into McMullen and Rowsten.
I think a midfield of Green, Kelly ,Finn, cogs and Daniels with the likes of Jones,Xoh and Rowsten running through there is definitely capable of winning it .
I think adding Parker or Kennedy would have made little difference this year and would have hurt the development of the kids

 

[Orange crush]

Yeah it all sounds good in hindsight but I'm not sure any of those targets were realistically ever going to come to the Giants. MAYBE Dylan Shiel and if you think that would have helped id be baffled.
I'm not worried with our lack of recruitment of midfield depth/maturity. I'd rather have those young guys going through there.
The reality of you can't have an A grade midfield, backline and forward line. The salary cap doesn't really allow it.
So we have prioritised our backline and with some clever moves made a relatively cheap but elite forward line.
Our midfield has two emerging stars and a bunch of very good players late in their careers.

The option is maybe using Brown or Aleer to swap for someone …. But that player still needs to relocate

 

[Bjo187]

Bog average St Kikda are still offering above bog average dollars …. That is the problem you keep ignoring. Treloar is no go … guy is cooked. We agree on Steele.

Players at the back end of their careers typically put winning a flag over money. Just last night on the agenda setters Luke Hodge and Daisy Thomas were saying in their last few years they played on significantly less than the average wage coz they wanted to see if they could finish with a flag.

If you believe the assessment of those guys as being no good than we aren't in the window and bringing in mature depth players at the expense of the next generation makes less sense.
If we're not going to win it, Id rather get games into McMullen and Rowsten.
I think a midfield of Green, Kelly ,Finn, cogs and Daniels with the likes of Jones,Xoh and Rowsten running through there is definitely capable of winning it .
I think adding Parker or Kennedy would have made little difference this year and would have hurt the development of the kids

No that argument makes no sense. The young mids coming through have shown nothing really as yet, you don't back in young mids that have shown so little when you're in the window, you thicken the soup with mature stars on low salary to squeeze out a flag whilst you still have arguably the best forward and defence in the competition.

Like I said above, once those young guys come on (who aren't even high draft picks other than leake, so not guaranteed to make it anyway), then cogs who's already almost cooked, Ward now done and kelly will be on their last legs and declining.

I would have been going all out to win a flag in 24/25, next year is probably the last chance before the older guys fall off a cliff. Gotta strike while the irons hot, not cross fingers and hope one of the low pick mids on the list finally bud in time. I also think a few of these older guys don't perform as well coz there is zero selection pressure around their position. In long seasons you need depth and selection pressure, in finals you need strong mature bodies that win contested ball.

 

[Orange crush]

Players at the back end of their careers typically put winning a flag over money. Just last night on the agenda setters Luke Hodge and Daisy Thomas were saying in their last few years they played on significantly less than the average wage coz they wanted to see if they could finish with a flag.



No that argument makes no sense. The young mids coming through have shown nothing really as yet, you don't back in young mids that have shown so little when you're in the window, you thicken the soup with mature stars on low salary to squeeze out a flag whilst you still have arguably the best forward and defence in the competition.

Like I said above, once those young guys come on (who aren't even high draft picks other than leake, so not guaranteed to make it anyway), then cogs who's already almost cooked, Ward now done and kelly will be on their last legs and declining.

I would have been going all out to win a flag in 24/25, next year is probably the last chance before the older guys fall off a cliff. Gotta strike while the irons hot, not cross fingers and hope one of the low pick mids on the list finally bud in time. I also think a few of these older guys don't perform as well coz there is zero selection pressure around their position. In long seasons you need depth and selection pressure, in finals you need strong mature bodies that win contested ball.

Not all players put a granny first …. Lot of them want to top up for post-retirement and don’t want to relocate and end up with less dollars

 

[Orange crush]

It’s a tough ask to find someone who fills the criteria of being prepared to come interstate for less for the hope of game time but who might not play regularly but is still good enough to be serviceable beyond what our recent high draftees can do

 

[GWS Goose]

Players at the back end of their careers typically put winning a flag over money. Just last night on the agenda setters Luke Hodge and Daisy Thomas were saying in their last few years they played on significantly less than the average wage coz they wanted to see if they could finish with a flag.



No that argument makes no sense. The young mids coming through have shown nothing really as yet, you don't back in young mids that have shown so little when you're in the window, you thicken the soup with mature stars on low salary to squeeze out a flag whilst you still have arguably the best forward and defence in the competition.

Like I said above, once those young guys come on (who aren't even high draft picks other than leake, so not guaranteed to make it anyway), then cogs who's already almost cooked, Ward now done and kelly will be on their last legs and declining.

I would have been going all out to win a flag in 24/25, next year is probably the last chance before the older guys fall off a cliff. Gotta strike while the irons hot, not cross fingers and hope one of the low pick mids on the list finally bud in time. I also think a few of these older guys don't perform as well coz there is zero selection pressure around their position. In long seasons you need depth and selection pressure, in finals you need strong mature bodies that win contested ball.

A mature star on low money would be great to bring in, but there isn't many of them around, and we actually got one in Stringer due to the other risks
But to the bulk of your argument, So you think our next generation are no good and o our mature players are all cooked , yet say you think we are in the window.
I think you are just trying to win the argument as they are conflicting positions.

If we could grab a Jack Steele or similar, that'd be great. But everyone else thinks that as well, so they ain't easy to land.
You need both cap space and draft capital. We generally have the draft capital but not the cap space.

 

[Bjo187]

A mature star on low money would be great to bring in, but there isn't many of them around, and we actually got one in Stringer due to the other risks

I named a few, another guy kicking around at the end of this year is Tom Mitchell. Wants to play on next year but Ned long has taken his place, has lived in Sydney before, an elite finals player and contested ball mid. Leg speed might be an issue but the giants have an abundance of that on the outside, the inside is where it matters.

But to the bulk of your argument, So you think our next generation are no good and o our mature players are all cooked , yet say you think we are in the window.
I think you are just trying to win the argument as they are conflicting positions.

I'm not trying to win the argument the proof is in the pudding. I was vocal on here at the end of 23, then again at the end of last year that you can't go to the well with effectively the same list whilst in contention and expert to nab a premiership. Each year since they've slid as predicted and the midfield has become more exposed.

On the young guys I rate leake highly, i watched him and rowston a lot in their draft years. Actually I dunno how neither of them have been getting regular games, but they still aren't gonna get you a flag last year or this year coz they're too young. Neither of them are your big bodied contested ball mids that the team lack. Outside of those two, who is coming through as young talented high picks that fill the current and significant weakness holding the team back? It's not like a Will and Levi Ashcroft just got recruited that dominated juniors and will step straight in at a high level at 18 or 19. These guys could have been developing in the background whilst some mature aged guys were brought in for a year or two to fill the void and win a flag, instead of battling for top 8.

If we could grab a Jack Steele or similar, that'd be great. But everyone else thinks that as well, so they ain't easy to land.
You need both cap space and draft capital. We generally have the draft capital but not the cap space.

I'd be shopping himmelberg, but on the deal he's on nobody would take him now I don't think. Again though, most of the options I listed would be on the average salary or less and would be coming back to Sydney for full midfield minutes, in a team that could win a flag. It's a reasonable carrot.

 

[PaythePerryman]

Neither of them are your big bodied contested ball mids that the team lack. Outside of those two, who is coming through as young talented high picks that fill the current and significant weakness holding the team back?

Leake is tracking to be a big bodied mid.
Also....does the team lack big bodied mids with Green and Callaghan both being over 6'3? You can't just chuck another big contested player in there with Green and maintain the pace required across the field with the Tsunami style.
Callaghan is perfect as a big body that covers ground like crazy.
I reckon you're kind of expecting the impossible. There isn't a 'Bont' or 'Cripps' out there waiting to come up to Western Sydney to win one on less cash.
The high skill vets we have are fine.
I reckon we need to retool our midfield tactics with the players we have. Rowston looks the most likely to me.
Be great to have Cogs back.

 

[Bjo187]

Leake is tracking to be a big bodied mid.
Also....does the team lack big bodied mids with Green and Callaghan both being over 6'3? You can't just chuck another big contested player in there with Green and maintain the pace required across the field with the Tsunami style.
Callaghan is perfect as a big body that covers ground like crazy.
I reckon you're kind of expecting the impossible. There isn't a 'Bont' or 'Cripps' out there waiting to come up to Western Sydney to win one on less cash.
The high skill vets we have are fine.
I reckon we need to retool our midfield tactics with the players we have. Rowston looks the most likely to me.
Be great to have Cogs back.

Not sure if you watch first crack, Montagna and king have been scathing on the midfield, Buckley on the couch and on sen the same on multiple occasions or even hird and bartel on their podcast again this week who used to work at the club, they've all been saying for months (and even last year) that the giants midfield is really below standard and it's not sustainable, it's bottom few on most midfield metrics. Same with Daniel Hoyne from champion data, pretty much every expert analysis in the game says it. The mids even lost the inside 50 count by like 20 on the weekend and the team still won, that's unheard of.

Their stats for clearances, inside 50s, contested ball are all bottom few on the ladder, it's only their A grade defence holding things up. They clearly need help in the area and have enough speed on the outside to get in a player/s that can help them in the contest/ clearances, it has been and will be negligent not to.

 

[Orange crush]

Not sure if you watch first crack, Montagna and king have been scathing on the midfield, Buckley on the couch and on sen the same on multiple occasions or even hird and bartel on their podcast again this week who used to work at the club, they've all been saying for months (and even last year) that the giants midfield is really below standard and it's not sustainable, it's bottom few on most midfield metrics. Same with Daniel Hoyne from champion data, pretty much every expert analysis in the game says it. The mids even lost the inside 50 count by like 20 on the weekend and the team still won, that's unheard of.

Their stats for clearances, inside 50s, contested ball are all bottom few on the ladder, it's only their A grade defence holding things up. They clearly need help in the area and have enough speed on the outside to get in a player/s that can help them in the contest/ clearances, it has been and will be negligent not to.

Dead horse ------->