GWS must strike the right balance between player changes and team cohesion as they try to put their faltering AFL season back on track.
Giants coach Leon Cameron gave a damning assessment of Sunday’s 45-point loss to Melbourne, saying his team stopped after half time.
Combined with their loss the previous weekend to Sydney, the Giants have lost momentum ahead of their September 8 elimination final against the Swans at the SCG.
Cameron said Zac Williams, Toby Greene, Sam Taylor, Aiden Corr and Matt De Boer would stake claims to return from injury for the Swans clash – but they cannot all return at once.
“I don’t think you can play five or six (of them) – that’s probably flirting with it a bit,” Cameron said.
“The Swans are a powerful team and they run hard to the end and you always have to go to the wire, but we’ll look at it and see what the best mix is to take them on.”
Along with the need to recall players, Cameron made it clear he will wield the axe in the wake of their poor fortnight.
“We had some disappointing players – some didn’t grab their opportunity,” Cameron said.
“Has the bye come at a really good time? It probably has and we have to make sure we lick our wounds, we acknowledge what we weren’t good at and we get ready for one big clash against the Swans.”
Ruckman Rory Lobb had back tightness in Sunday’s loss, but Cameron said he would play against Sydney.
After gaining the double chance in the last two seasons, this time GWS have finished seventh.
But Cameron remains bullish about the prospects of winning their first premiership.
“Anyone can win and we’re going to put ourselves in that basket,” he said.
“But we need to play our best footy and we haven’t in the last four or five quarters.
“I’m confident we can in 13 days time.”
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
The winner of GWS SYD play either WCE in Perth or the Pies at the MCG in week two. Both clubs will dispatch them easily.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Disagree it was inexperience that lost that game for the Swans...... It was purely skill execution that killed the Swans against the Hawks....... Not always the inexperience one's either. Kennedy missed an absolute soda by his standards. Rampe made a couple of poor decisions coming out of the backline. That's not inexperience, it was just pressure of the Hawks.
Antony Pincombe
Roar Rookie
GWS will have to play far better than they have in the last two weeks. Sure they have been cruelled by injury but so have the Swans. Out of last weeks game against the Hawks were; Franklin, Parker (arguably the Swans two best players although Lloyd and Kennedy would be close), Reid, Naismith, Rohan, Mills, AJ (at his best he is easily best 22 and he looked good on his comeback), Smith and Melican. That is nine players who would have easily made the team last season. Of the injured Giants these injured players would be walk up starters for the team each week; Griffin, Greene, Delidio, DeBoar, Skully, Shaw and maybe Corr and Patton. That's eight players. The reason I only say maybe to Patton and Corr is that patton has had a dreadful season and has under performed for a few years now. I think the coachoing staff would have been very disappointed with Jonno over his journey. He would be close to getting the chop. Corr is a good player who is a fringe dweller at GWS. He has onlt made it in recent times. He is probably more deserving of a best 22 than Patton. GWS in the last few weeks have started to get players back. Last week two of those injured in the Swans match returned and they got Kelly back for that match as well. Williams returns next game. Unfortunately he will have only one reserves game under his belt because GWS did not make the NEAFL finals. Add to that Corr, Greene, DeBoar, Deledio and Griffin will all be available. I think most of those players will play. Sydney will get Franklin and Parker back. Maybe Rohan if his form warrants it. That is about all for the Swans. Smith, Melican and Reid are all too far away to play next game. Reid is the closest with 1week. Smith, 4 weeks, will not play again this season. Melican, 1-2 is a chance to play Reserves GF if the Swans make it. But even with key players out the Swans have been able to beat Melbourne and GWS as well as take Hawks to the limit in a game they should have won. Inexperience lost that game for the Swans. Without Franklin and Parker against a Hawks side that was without Ceglar, Sicily. Birchell (virtually the same as Reid he has not played the majority of the season), Frawley & maybe Howe if you consider him best 22. Most if not all of those will step out against Richmond. It will be the Swans who have the more best 22 players injured against the Giants in a fortnight. So if I hear excuses for GWS like them being cruelled with injury I am going to refute this claim as most of their injured best 22 will be on the park or close. The same can't be said of the Swans.
Cat
Roar Guru
"not waiting to remain' may not be such a bad thing. GWS simply cannot keep everyone. Their salary cap is bursting at the seems. Either they need to let go of several mid-tier players (and further erode their depth) or let an A grader go.
Aligee
Roar Rookie
TBH hoping for a GWS win despite holding a real respect for the Swans and the way they give it all. I think GWS have a better chance of progressing further, lots of injuries at a real bad time though.
MQ
Guest
It's a godsend that they get to play an inconsistent Sydney in Sydney, but yeh, might get past that one and then bow out in week 2. The only consolation for them is that the pies have an equally long injury list (and they might meet them in week 2 if they get through). The other problem with the Giants is that they have managed to put off the Suns syndrome for a while, but it has always been there simmering under the surface, and a few key players might be going into the finals not wanting to remain with the Giants next season.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
They definitely needed the bye. Could get up and beat Sydney but don’t see them progressing much further than that.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
No. Just too many injuries and they’ll bow out week one.