This time last season the Gold Coast Suns were an embarrassment on the field in their second season in the competition.
They were hardly competitive and, in fact, GWS, who were in their first year in the AFL, were actually performing better and there were arguments and debates claiming that the Giants would have on-field success before the Suns.
There’s an old saying that we use all the time in this game that a week is a long time in footy. Well, a year seems like ten eternities, because there is no way now you could argue in favour of GWS having success before the Gold Coast now.
The Suns have won five games and although they have been a tad disappointing in recent weeks, have shown in the first half of this season that they are starting to build with their form at home in particular much improved.
The Giants, on the other hand, have gone backwards at a rate of knots with every team bar the Western Bulldogs boosting their percentage with huge thrashings against them, including several exceeding 100 points.
They almost beat the Dogs in Round 15, but with all due respect to GWS, that performance probably says more about where the Bulldogs are heading at the moment.
Many of the Giants’ star young recruits they picked up as first round picks in 2011 such as Toby Greene, who burst on the scene last year and was runner up in the best and fairest with some outstanding displays as an inside midfielder, have struggled to replicate that form this year.
Stephen Coniglio, Taylor Adams and Devon Smith to a lesser extent are in the same boat along with Thomas Bugg.
It appears that the dreaded second-year blues have hit and the Giants are in danger of being winless this season, the first team since Fitzroy in 1964.
Every now and again they produce a competitive quarter and half but they are few and far between and no doubt it would frustrate coach Kevin Sheedy.
Sheeds, though, is the classic spin doctor. Publicly he remains optimistic about the future in what will be his last year as a senior coach with Leon Cameron set to take over next season.
There’s a school of thought that Cameron already coaches the team and Sheedy leads the publicity machine as the AFL continues its almost obsessive push to ensure AFL footy has a major presence in the west of Sydney.
If that’s the case why not push forward the seamless transition from Sheedy to Cameron next week? The four-time premiership coach at Essendon should coach the Giants this week, ironically against the Bombers at home at the Showgrounds; have a celebration and then hand over control to Cameron.
It would be a fitting way for Sheedy to end an extraordinary career and allow Cameron to properly start putting his stamp on this team and get them ready to be much more competitive at the start of 2014.
Sheedy could be a mentor to Cameron for the rest of the year and continue to do what he does best, promote the game in Sydney’s west.
We all know how much Sheedy loves coaching, but it comes to an end for everyone and although he realised what a tough task coaching this team from their infancy was going to be, the Giants are now more than ready to move to the second stage of their development and that’s consolidation and making an impact no matter how small that might be.
Sheedy was the right man to build this project and club, but now after a 10-year coaching apprenticeship at three teams, Cameron, who comes with a handsome reputation, is the right man to mould this young list.
Mark
Guest
Hopefully someone is teaching them how to kick correctly.
Allan
Guest
They already are kicking Sherrins, they are playing rugby league with them.
Stavros
Guest
There is no one left in West Sydney to support GWS you say. West Sydney has 2 million people. The average WSW crowd was 12,500. The combined average NRL Western Sydney crowds are about 35,000. You do the maths.
Gyfox
Guest
Don't worry, Allan, in no time the youth of western Sydney will be kicking Sherrins in the street & taking speccies!
Anthony
Guest
4 generations? I am sure Penrith & Paramatta only started after WW2. And where are all these RL families - certainly not at the games....unless you think 10,000 is a reasonable crowd in Sydney. Oh, that's right...........
Allan
Guest
See I don't have to worry because I know that will never happen. All these mysterious fans you think will come flooding in are supporting either rugby league which means their family has for about four generations, or they are supporting the Wanderers. There's no one left, unless you bring Canberra into the equation.. there is light at the end of this dark miserable tunnel.
Stavros
Guest
My memory is the same as yours Norm. Something tells me Allan wouldn't be happy with anything GWS say or do. That's fine, because when the Giants become a good side, and their crowds improve, it will bring a smile to my face knowing that Allan will become even more bitter and twisted.
Norm
Guest
So Allan remembers AFL mocking RL & claiming to dominate the sporting landscape in WS? Perhaps we could have some quotes & links? A lot of those will be NRL fans attacking Folau. What I remember was the exact opposite - AFL saying it just wanted another choice for the youth of WS, that it accepted soccer & RL were the dominant sports, that in an area of 2 mill + Aussie Rules was way behind, etc. The welcome mat didn't appear, of course - not least from the AFL haters on the Roar. Not saying that Allan is an AFL hater, of course.......
Mark
Guest
I do actually think you are sitting by, sitting by on your computer. What about the $60 million though !, how much do you deserve back ?. Actually FWIW i reckon you stand when you type about GWS or even Australian Football and the AFL, and i reckon you hit the keyboard really hard, i reckon you are standing by not sitting.
Allan
Guest
I certainly do find my remarks productive, because I remember a time when this club was launched, mocking rugby league after signing Israel Folau, jibes about how you were only moments away from completely dominating the sporting landscape in Western Sydney, straight up insulting the locals. Now the AFL is in a very bad place, now and only now are we hearing comments about how it's a long term plan, how the AFL is only looking to coexist. I have lived in both Adelaide and Perth, I'm well aware of how the AFL acts when it's the top dog, so if you think I'm going to sit by and allow the same behaviour in my home town of all places then you're mistaken. The boot is well and truly into this struggling team.
Mark
Guest
What was your donation Allan, $60 million ?, or more ?. And how much productive time have you wasted attacking another sport, what is that worth ?. Although perhaps you consider your constant negative remarks productive ?.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
He's in a very high tax bracket. Maybe not Dolce & Gabbana territory, but still quite onerous. Even by Sydney standards.
Allan
Guest
See Stavros, it's not just me who is angry about this new franchise...
Mark
Guest
You donated $60 million ??, wow !!.
Anthony
Guest
90,000 at a friendly match is quite normal for Melbourne......at the Australian game. But we don't need a millionaire soccer club to do it. Just local footy clubs with thousands of members doing what they've been doing since before federation.
Stavros
Guest
So why aren’t those 90,000 people turning up week in week out for A League games in Melbourne?
Post hoc
Guest
Plus as a resident of Western Sydney, I wan't my $60 million dollars back that has been wasted by the State Government on this club. I love the fact that 90,000 or more people are going to watch a Friendly match in Melbourne between Victory and Liverpool. The beauty of the world game, a friendly match has such a huge turn out. A Training session in Sydney for MU has more people attend than the past 3 home matches for Giants.
Mark
Guest
Albatrosses are the loneliest birds, he will continue to fly solo with his commentary as well.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Oh God, Oikee has chimed in! But you're right Connor. 20,000 is a blockbuster by NRL standards. By way of comparison, three weeks ago, the NRL Tigers managed just over 5,000 to its game whilst the AFL Tigers drew 52,000 on the same weekend. About in line with its crowd average this season. Some people just don't get it.
oikee
Guest
No sellouts amounst those games, Redb. The Sydney and Brisbane games charge top price, i think Lions tickets were 300 dollars each, Origin tickets are 80 dollars for noseblleds, 150 dollars up to 995 in Brisbane for best seats. That is the difference. So 3 Origins is equivenlent to 10 blockbusters at the G. And makes more as well. 100 million for 3 Origin games. The G is only partly filled by members, who dont even turn up.