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GWS will have a better first season than the Suns

Roar Rookie
23rd March, 2012
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Roar Rookie
23rd March, 2012
10
1626 Reads

Greater Western Sydney will win more games this season then Gold Coast did last season. A big call, you might think. Crazy almost. Why am I making such an outrageous prediction?

Simple. I believe Greater Western Sydney Giants have the makings of a better football team than the Gold Coast Suns in regards to preparation, coaching experience and list creation.

Guy McKenna has done a splendid job developing the young list at the Suns, taking them to three wins, and almost avoiding a wooden spoon (Port Adelaide remained 16th on percentage.) That’s not a bad result for a young list and young coaching panel.

For perspective’s sake, Guy McKenna had a successful career at the West Coast Eagles, playing in both the 1992 and 1994 premiership sides. His AFL coaching career started at West Coast and continued at Collingwood as an assistant before gaining the top job at Gold Coast.

Like many players-turned-coach he served his time as an apprentice under veterans John Worsfold and Mick Malthouse. However, even with several years of apprenticeship under such veterans the task of coaching a young new club was always going to be a challenge.

The entire coaching team was a young group, with the majority being freshly retired players. If we then compare this experience with the experience of the Giants coaching staff, we get a dramatic difference.

Kevin Sheedy, the senior coach of Greater Western Sydney, played in three premierships as a player and then coached Essendon to four premierships in an outstanding 27-year coaching career.

Sheedy, along with all his other accolades, also has the proven ability to make a young list perform, with the famous 1993 Baby Bombers premiership a case in point. One of the most experienced and highly regarded men in football also has strong support.

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Mark Williams had a successful career at Collingwood, retiring in 1990. His AFL coaching career began at Port Adelaide, where in 1999 he became head coach, leading the Power to three minor premierships (2002, 2003, and 2004). He also won the AFL premiership in 2004 to deny Brisbane a record fourth flag. Williams is one of the most distinguished assistant coaches in the competition.

The other positive of the Giants is the incorporation of playing coaches Dean Brogan, James McDonald, and Luke Power.

I really rate this concept by GWS, as players will learn by doing, and by doing they become quality players.

I liken this concept to the development of midfielders at both Carlton and Richmond, both of which experienced rapid improvement after the introduction of Chris Judd and Ben Cousins respectively.

The concept of players being involved heavily in both on and off field team development will be a growing trend in the future.

The second thing to look at is the playing list.

There has been much hype about both the Suns and the GWS list. You just get the feel that GWS have got a better mix of new and old, experience, and inexperience.

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Take for example the Gold Coast signings. It goes without saying that Gary Ablett was a brilliant selection as he is vital to the above comment about young development.

Michael Rischitelli was also a great selection and many view him as an underrated player. However, these are players in the middle of their careers, not starting out or finishing.

Of the other appointments, Campbell Brown was a risk. He showed during last season that he is not a great influence on young talent and is a rogue cannon who headhunts for the hell of it and justifies it by “protecting” younger players.

Nathan Bock has also been an underperforming player for the Suns, spending several games out with suspension and injury.

And Karmichael Hunt, one of the AFL’s great poaches, who was idolised in the rugby world, has had a transition to AFL that you could call modest, to say the least. His ability to adapt was always going to be tough.

GWS have what appears on paper to be a better list.

They have recruited some old stalwarts of the game in Brogan, Power, and McDonald, as well as Chad Cornes. These men have collective experience that is invaluable to the young list.

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They also all play in different positions and understand their role at the club. While injury for old bodies is a major concern, the assistant coach concept is a good one to cover this.

GWS \ has acquired a good crop of quality two-to-four-year players that are just establishing their careers in the AFL. Phil Davies, Rhys Palmer, Tom Scully and Callan Ward are premium players who are looking at high-profile careers. They are the base for the future success of the club.

This differs to the Suns imports, all of whom were established in clubs and had their own set methods of football.

This brings me to GWS’s great rugby steal, Israel Folau.

This guy has potential; he is tall and fit and moves like a footballer. He has shown ability to adapt well to the 360-degree game.

Overall, you just get the feeling that GWS, having the ability of watching the Suns battle through their first year, have given themselves a different approach and a better opportunity to establish.

The Suns won three games in their inaugural season and are aiming to double that this season; I would say that GWS could manage four to five wins this season.

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