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Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy has urged fans to keep some perspective when they judge rugby league superstar Israel Folau’s start to his AFL career.
Folau is one of 12 Giants who have never played even in the AFL’s pre-season competition, who were named in the GWS squad to play Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.
The Giants’ squad included just eight players with premiership season experience, with Dean Brogan and Setanta O’hAilpin the only AFL-experienced members of their playing list to be left out.
While the Giants played in the opening round of last year’s pre-season cup, despite being yet to assemble most of their list, Folau missed that fixture with an ankle injury.
His debut in Blacktown on Saturday night will be one of the pre-season cup triple-header’s main attractions.
Sheedy said the 22-year-old’s top-level sporting experience should help him cope with the attention.
But he said the Giants were not expecting too much from a player who had not played Australian Rules football before he signed with them in 2010.
“If he kicks a goal or two a game we’re happy,” Sheedy told AAP on Thursday.
“If he tackles and chases and keeps the ball in the forward line and starts to learn how tough and hard-hitting it is from a 360-degree angle.”
Sheedy said Folau would learn from every game he played this season and a modest debut season would not stop him having a successful AFL career.
“From my point of view, as I said to him the other day, I only played five games in my first year,” said Sheedy, who played in three Richmond premierships before going on to coach Essendon to four flags.
“He looked at me as if I’d played every game. I said `Well, not everybody plays.’
“James Hird and these guys only played four games in their first year, those sorts of players that played in my premierships.
“So keep the perspective right.
“Some guys in their first AFL season, say Tom Hawkins at Geelong, don’t play every game.
“They go back and play in the seconds, they come back and get a bit more confident, all of those sorts of things happen.
“People lose a little bit of perspective.”
Sheedy said the young members of his squad – which includes five players picked in the top 10 in November’s national draft – would be understandably nervous ahead of their first AFL taste.
But he and his coaching colleagues were relishing the chance to see them face AFL opposition.
The Magpies will rest many stars, with captain Nick Maxwell, midfield gun Scott Pendlebury and key forward Travis Cloke among those missing.
Only nine members of Collingwood’s losing 2011 grand final side were named, including Luke Ball, who will be acting captain.
The youngsters included 208cm Jarrod Witts, who the Magpies recruited under the NSW scholarship scheme.
The Bulldogs named a stronger squad.
But they were still missing some big names, most notably Brian Lake and Adam Cooney.
© AAP 2012Recommend this story.
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The Crowd Says (19) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
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- AFL, Greater Western Sydney, GWS Giants, Kevin Sheedy
February 17th 2012 @ 7:01am
Redb said | February 17th 2012 @ 7:01am | Report comment
The Giants play Saturday night against the pies & bullies, will be worth setting the IQ at least to check out how Folau went. I suggest a modest return of 5 possessions for Folau.
February 17th 2012 @ 8:58am
The Cattery said | February 17th 2012 @ 8:58am | Report comment
I’ll definitely be tuning in.
The woods will be playing plenty of their youngsters, so if Buckley puts an 18 yo on Izzy, it’s not out of the question he might get his hands on the pill a few times – NAB Cup is a perfect environment to get your first taste of AFL.
But as Karmichael found out last season, it can be a massive leap from NAB Cup to that very first AFL game.
February 17th 2012 @ 8:42am
me, I like football said | February 17th 2012 @ 8:42am | Report comment
Just heard the GWS theme song and as far as new club songs go I don’t mind it. Though I doubt I will be hearing it too much this year
February 17th 2012 @ 8:59am
The Cattery said | February 17th 2012 @ 8:59am | Report comment
If they stumble across their first win unexpectedly, like the way the Suns did against Port last year, it might be a case of: quick, someone write up the words on the whiteboard!!
And then someone might have to do it again the following year.
February 17th 2012 @ 10:17am
Col said | February 17th 2012 @ 10:17am | Report comment
Great to see Sheedy is going to play Folau up forward. Im more inclined to believe people will go through the gates to see if Folau can kick a couple of goals, crash a few packs or even take a few specky’s up forward, rather then see him fumble across half back, like K. Hunt did at GCFC, in an attempt to “learn the game”.
Im sure GWS would like the Folau experiment to turn into a long term thing, however I think Sheedy and co. are smart enough to know that its more likely to be a short term gimmick, and are thus treating it so. Hope it works out for them.
Old school song, like it. Doing a lot of things right are the Giants.
February 17th 2012 @ 11:32am
The Cattery said | February 17th 2012 @ 11:32am | Report comment
Just heard the new GWS club song – might take some getting used to – sounds a bit burlesque, anyway, I agree with the intent of Harry Angus, the composer, that you want something timeless, and that’s precisely where the newer songs always miss out. He’s also right that we now have an Australian tradition of club songs, which is now an Australian music tradition (even if they are all borrowed), so you have to try and fit in with that tradition to remain timeless.
February 17th 2012 @ 11:51am
Redb said | February 17th 2012 @ 11:51am | Report comment
Anyone who posts a link to the new song will be reported to the moderators.
Vlad would be pleased.
February 18th 2012 @ 4:00am
toa said | February 18th 2012 @ 4:00am | Report comment
I’m predicting Izzy to have a memorable debut furthermore Sunday’s headlines will reek of praise for this young talent…..stay tune
February 17th 2012 @ 10:29am
Strummer Jones said | February 17th 2012 @ 10:29am | Report comment
Just checked out the odds for GWS to beat Sydney in the opener in March.
If we convert the odds, Sydney are a 99% implied probability of winning the game which is fair enough.
However, the odds suggest there is a 6% chance of GWS winning if we translate them. Now the way everyone is going on about GWS is the football world, GWS are only a 1% chance of winning, which means you need odds of about 90/1 or $91 in the new decimal betting language.
So in conclusion, either these guys at GWS are not as bad as most think, or TAB and every other bookie is having a lend of us. Come to think of it, its probably the latter
February 17th 2012 @ 11:15am
Redb said | February 17th 2012 @ 11:15am | Report comment
What we need is a bookie to offer a double of Black Caviar to win its 19th race in a row and the Swans to win their first game of 2012 to at least get some decent odds.
February 17th 2012 @ 11:18am
The Cattery said | February 17th 2012 @ 11:18am | Report comment
Imagine if you took a double of GWS to win, and Black Caviar to lose – you could just about buy a house with a $1 investment (if they both came to fruition).
February 17th 2012 @ 12:12pm
Strummer Jones said | February 17th 2012 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
Actually, the odds for GWS to beat Bulldogs on Saturday translate into a 13% probability, which isn’t bad (but really, the implied probability should be again about 5%, giving us 20/1 or thereabouts).
And yes, a Black Caviar to lose/GWS double sounds like a winner. I hear that Joe Hockey is riding Black Caviar next start, so she’s a real chance to come dead last. Go you good thing.
February 17th 2012 @ 12:17pm
Redb said | February 17th 2012 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
Black Caviar is not going to lose on Saturday. The other jockeys are totally psyched out.
February 17th 2012 @ 7:37pm
gleeso said | February 17th 2012 @ 7:37pm | Report comment
Sheedy is a funny guy. He has shoved Falou in from of the media and down the throats of sydney siders for 12 months. Now that game time is approachig he is asking us to have perspective. The media has an obligation to judge Falou on his results. And hound him in the reserves when he ends up there. I would like to see an article on Falou at least every other day in sydney. Even if, no, particularly if, he is out drowning his shame in a late night binge with his reserve team buddies.
Also when Sheedy played his first season and only managed 5 games I bet he was not being payed twice as much as his team mates. And more than anyone else in the league.
February 17th 2012 @ 10:25pm
Ian Whitchurch said | February 17th 2012 @ 10:25pm | Report comment
You’re a top level comedian, gleeso. Apparently, get this,you want us to treat everything Kevin Sheedy says as gospel truth. Geez, it isnt as if the man has ever played games with the media, team selections or expectations.
By the way, regarding comparitive wage justice, this year Sam Reid will be being paid more than Dylan Shiel or Stephen Coniglio. Regarding Izzy, six foot plus full forwards with his speed over ten yards, a leap, an ability to hold the footy *and* the ability to kick straight dont fall off trees.
Stuff it. Gleeso, Im calling you out. Name me three AFL prospects not playing for GWS with Folau’s height, reach and leap, and where they went in the AFL draft.
February 18th 2012 @ 9:16pm
gleeso said | February 18th 2012 @ 9:16pm | Report comment
Ian, I am from Sydney – I know as much about AFL as Izzy did this time last year. Seriously, the victorian obsession on the u18s draft thing is just weird. We do not get it here at all. I dont even know what position Izzy play (nor does he). Let alone three children who also play there.
I am just making the point that Falou will face his moment of truth.
February 18th 2012 @ 10:57pm
The Cattery said | February 18th 2012 @ 10:57pm | Report comment
gleeso
I don’t understand why you find the U18 draft thing weird.
It’s quite straightforward, 90% of the players you are going to recruit are coming to you via the draft, there’s no other way, and on top of that, all serious fans of all clubs of all sports take a keen interest in their up and coming players, so in that context, the reason for interest in the draft seems pretty obvious – these kids represent the future of your club.
February 20th 2012 @ 3:03am
DumpStar said | February 20th 2012 @ 3:03am | Report comment
I think a better way to explain it, is that it’s the equivalent of drafting players for the Toyota Cup in the NRL. Though I am unsure of how you track your U18 players (I presume they are feed out to some sort of reserve grade comp?)
February 20th 2012 @ 3:46am
The_Wookie said | February 20th 2012 @ 3:46am | Report comment
Most of them will end up in the clubs affilated state league sides for a season or two while they develop. The Under 18s have their own comp in Victoria, and play with state league clubs elsewhere, as well as an annual national under 18 championships