GWS Giants deserves more credit
Roar Guru By Ian Whitchurch, 15 May 2012 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
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There’s been a lot talked about the concessions that the GWS Giants received on its entry into the AFL, and how it will cheapen their success.
I believe the team has earned everything they will win, up to and including a premiership, because it’s been a lot harder than it looked.
As it was the second expansion club in as many season, other clubs got to see what Gold Coast did before GWS and they made sure they locked away their good players.
Of those that were left, the good free agents didn’t want to go to western Sydney, and they quietly re-signed with their existing clubs, or took their bat and ball and went home to Perth.
GWS paid overs and got an overrated soft outside midfielder from Melbourne, a skinny might-be-a-centre-half-back-one-day from Adelaide, and a failed midfielder who can’t kick well from Freo.
GWS added not one but two Port Adelaide reject ruckmen, a Tassie boy who was playing for Casey, a retired midfielder from Brisbane, and the Cornes who wasn’t good enough to play for Port Power.
Also, Callan Ward’s best mate from the Scraggers, an Irishman who got cut from Carlton, and a 24-year-old rookie from North Ballarat.
That plus Israel Folau.
GWS’s coaches were fired from teams they led to premierships.
It then threw the kids into the fire, and are winning quarters against teams that think they are chances for the top four, and are in with a red hot go against any of the teams in the bottom bracket.
GWS is then going to need to convince these kids to stay, because as Mumford shows, you can’t make a player play for a club when he sees better opportunities elsewhere?
So, yeah, what they win, they deserve.
May 15th 2012 @ 10:29am
The Cattery said | May 15th 2012 @ 10:29am | Report comment
You make a good case. Early results show that it’s anything but easy. One thing looks clear, GWS appear to have picked their kids better than what the Suns managed to do. I hope GWS can keep as many as they can together, should be a good ride for fans.
Interestingly, the Giants have already sold $500,000 of merchandise, compared to the $320,000 the Suns sold to the same point last season, but they’re behind in the memberships stakes, having just reached 9,000 members in recent days.
It’s a long way to the top…
May 15th 2012 @ 12:15pm
JamesP said | May 15th 2012 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
According to some – many have bought or rather about to buy Home game memberships so are waiting for Skoda Stadium to be up and going – they expect to sell quite a bit in 2 weeks when Essendon comes to town.
However nothing boosts memberships more than winning, so I dare say they will be over 10k soon.
May 15th 2012 @ 2:21pm
The Cattery said | May 15th 2012 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
I think I read somewhere that the Essendon game is an all-ticketed affair.
May 15th 2012 @ 4:46pm
mds1970 said | May 15th 2012 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
Correct. So will the Collingwood game.
May 15th 2012 @ 5:18pm
The Cattery said | May 15th 2012 @ 5:18pm | Report comment
Does that mean they are expecting 20+k for each of those games? That’s pretty good!
May 15th 2012 @ 11:18am
Ian Whitchurch said | May 15th 2012 @ 11:18am | Report comment
Someone – possibly me, possibly the editors here – lost a half line about one of our condittore (aka free agent signings/money hungry mercenaries),
Para should read …
GWS paid overs and got an overrated soft outside midfielder from Melbourne, a hard working scragger from the Scraggers, a skinny might-be-a-centre-half-back-one-day from Adelaide, and a failed midfielder who can’t kick well from Freo.
James Macdonald also got omitted, probably by the editors. Para should read (“Ammos” is the Victorian Amateur Football Association).
Also, Callan Ward’s best mate from the Scraggers, a 35 year old from the Ammos and an Irishman who got cut from Carlton, and a 24-year-old rookie from North Ballarat.
May 15th 2012 @ 11:49am
The Cattery said | May 15th 2012 @ 11:49am | Report comment
heh, heh – the Roar editors prefer to keep the colourful footy vernacular to a minimum! (because it’s a general sports site)
Without meaning to sound critical, I discovered this when I wrote an article about The Duck, Yabby Jeans and Spud.
So talking about the scraggers and the ammos might have been a step too far!
May 15th 2012 @ 12:27pm
Nathan of Perth said | May 15th 2012 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
The Rhys Palmer decision was particularly peculiar.
May 15th 2012 @ 1:27pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 15th 2012 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
Nathan,
Not really. If he can improve his disposal, Palmer is a very good player … and he was young and was willing to go to GWS.
So we hired him.
May 15th 2012 @ 3:18pm
TomC said | May 15th 2012 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
Palmer’s disposal on Saturday was better than I’ve seen before. Very nearly kicked one of the goals of the year (hit the post).
I suspect the staff at GWS have been working on it with him.
May 15th 2012 @ 3:19pm
mds1970 said | May 15th 2012 @ 3:19pm | Report comment
Rhys Palmer had started promisingly at Freo, but then had injury worries and lost his way. Coming over to GWS has given him a new lease of life.
May 16th 2012 @ 12:26am
stabpass said | May 16th 2012 @ 12:26am | Report comment
Palmer went, because he can’t hit a target, lack of confidence and a sizable amount of fans blaming him for Barlows broken leg.
May 15th 2012 @ 11:23am
stevvington said | May 15th 2012 @ 11:23am | Report comment
re: convincing kids to stay at GWS – that’s where the GWS Breakfast Point Commune comes into play. It seems like when those guys are either traning, playing, promoting or hanging out together. Certainly would make things tight-knit. Might not retain guys for the big bucks, but could help prevent losing mid-range players due to homesickness.
May 15th 2012 @ 11:25am
Ian Whitchurch said | May 15th 2012 @ 11:25am | Report comment
Stevvington,
Absolutely, and they were also recruited in pairs – take a player, take his best mate.
May 15th 2012 @ 11:51am
Australian Rules said | May 15th 2012 @ 11:51am | Report comment
There’s a lot to like about the Giants. Was hard not to smile watching them sing their song.
The Giants’ draft looks better than the Suns’. Coniglio, Cameron, Giles…and wait for Patton. They are going to be seriously good in 3-4 years.
I’d love to say the same about the Suns. Funny, I always thought the Suns brand would be ok, notwithstanding the historical difficulties of setting up shop on the Goldie, but I think the Giants will quietly/slowly build their local support, whilst the Suns may have to endure the fickle attention spans of the GC locals for a while yet. The pain is about to start for those on the glitter strip.
2011 was a ripping draft. They say 2012 will be at least as good. If I was the Suns, I’d be looking to offload some dead wood now.
May 15th 2012 @ 12:10pm
Christo the Daddyo said | May 15th 2012 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
Dead wood?!? Jeez, it’s only been a season and a half!
May 15th 2012 @ 3:56pm
Australian Rules said | May 15th 2012 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
Yes of course…but there can be a identifiable difference between 17y.o’s who looked good out of highschool, and those who still do after 2 years in the system.
Some rise, some don’t – the Suns should identify those that haven’t and look to replenish with what is looking like an excellent draft year.
May 15th 2012 @ 12:15pm
Jaceman said | May 15th 2012 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
Hell, its one week and the Suns are being written off. GWS took some of the best 17 year olds who are amongst their best players, Cameron, Shiel, Bugg? which I assume were off limits to the Suns??
May 15th 2012 @ 12:35pm
The Cattery said | May 15th 2012 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
And to add insult to injury, the Suns had to trade with GWS to pick up a good 17 year old themselves in O’Meara (who looks seriously good).
that might be bugging them
May 15th 2012 @ 1:28pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 15th 2012 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
Jaceman,
Sheeds and Choco also made the – correct – decisions that its better to take players who have had a year in the system than to take this years rookies.
That said, of this years rookies, Greene and Cogs have forced their way in.
May 15th 2012 @ 1:03pm
Cameron Rose said | May 15th 2012 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
Phil Davis is a genuine player, I expect him to be All-Australian CHB a few times before his career is out.
I liked the move of Scully to Ablett in the second half on Saturday, and i’d like to see him do a run with role from now on. He’s one of the elite runners in the competition, so he could lead by example with his discipline and not let the oppositions best get off the chain. This would help the GWS midfield enormously.
May 15th 2012 @ 1:16pm
D.Large said | May 15th 2012 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
Oh they will get everything they deserve, unfortunately for the GWS it will be jack squat.
May 15th 2012 @ 1:48pm
TW said | May 15th 2012 @ 1:48pm | Report comment
Plus GWS have acquired 2 Premiership Coaches- Kevin Sheedy of Essendon Fame and Mark Williams from Port. We know there are no guarantees in this business but they do have the experience and know how to get to the top of the pile with the right cattle.
Apparently Ex AFL Coach Leigh Matthews said recently after spending several seasons in Brisbane with the Lions and winning premierships with them – The Suns will find it hard to get supporters to stick up there on the coast. – Said the fans were fickle.
He should know after living up there in League territory.
And what is more interesting he reckons that on the other hand GWS will be much more successful over time, and did not elaborate on that.
We will see the GWS membership slip past the Suns total within a year or two.
Really liked the assessment of the new GWS recruits by Ian W – No spin.
May 15th 2012 @ 2:01pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 15th 2012 @ 2:01pm | Report comment
TW,
Thanks. I didnt talk about our kids, because our kids are terrifying. Literally a third of the elite footy talent of the last two years are concentrated in one club.
May 15th 2012 @ 2:04pm
Pope Paul VII said | May 15th 2012 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
That Green, who looks about 12 years old, has got a lot of talent
May 15th 2012 @ 2:24pm
The Cattery said | May 15th 2012 @ 2:24pm | Report comment
Oh, that’s him, I noticed when they were singing their team song that Coniglio was standing next to a kid that looked 12 years old, but I think he was a player, must have been Green
May 15th 2012 @ 2:31pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 15th 2012 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
Toby Greene is averaging 25.8 possessions a game, 5.3 marks, 3.5 tackles, 2.5 clearances and a disposal efficiency of 66%.
And, yeah, thats him standing next to Cogs.
May 15th 2012 @ 3:06pm
Pope Paul VII said | May 15th 2012 @ 3:06pm | Report comment
crikey
May 15th 2012 @ 3:58pm
The Cattery said | May 15th 2012 @ 3:58pm | Report comment
Where does he come from and how old is he exactly??
May 15th 2012 @ 4:02pm
mds1970 said | May 15th 2012 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
He’s 18. Was picked up in the draft last year from Oakleigh Chargers.
May 15th 2012 @ 4:10pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 15th 2012 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
Im very happy with the job our recruiting team of Steven Silvagni, Paul Brodie, Phil Scully and Neville Stibbard have done.
We should give them a pay rise … even if the AFL do then count it under the cap.
May 15th 2012 @ 2:51pm
Hawks9108 said | May 15th 2012 @ 2:51pm | Report comment
GWS success will come at the expense of the formation clubs of the VFL as this is the current administrations wish. These kids should be playing for the true AFL clubs not this outfit that everyone raves about for getting within 15 goals
May 15th 2012 @ 3:01pm
Ian Whitchurch said | May 15th 2012 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
You’re right. We need to protect the original formation clubs of the VFL.
Expell the Mayblooms, expel North Melbourne and expel Footscray, and distribute their players to St Kilda, Collingwood, Carlton and so on.
May 15th 2012 @ 3:33pm
Macca said | May 15th 2012 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
Right again Hawks – You can’t keep selling the same people a Jumper and Scarf!
And what is the Salary cap these days? And how much is the ave football dept spend? $550k doesn’t go to far!
May 15th 2012 @ 3:36pm
Macca said | May 15th 2012 @ 3:36pm | Report comment
See that Hawks they have a plan – nothing could go wrong. I mena if the AFL have said something is going to happen then it will.