How did the AFL get the Giants so right?!

[Evolved1]

You can't really criticise who the suns have actually drafted though. They just haven't retained them.

If they still had Lynch, O'Meara, Prestia, Caddy, May etc they'd be a good side.

Agree to a point, but they lacked strong leadership to retain those players.

Just look at Brisbane before and after Rockliff for another example of the difference that poor leadership makes. If GC recruited stronger leadership in their early years instead of Ablett, I doubt they would have faced the same exodus of players.

 

[Damon_3388]

Squandered too much of their ill-gotten franchise lucre on Ablett. They assumed that footy is like basketball where 1 superstar can literally carry an entire team on his back to repeated finals appearances and hopefully success (i.e Jordan).

Doesn't work that way I'm afraid, footy is more about team depth in particular a team's best 10 players who ultimately carry the fringe ones to success. Think Hodge, Mitchell and Lewis making the likes of Puopolo appear to be semi decent players.

And that's where the Suns failed where GWS has excelled in, GC never managed to find multiple quality elite young players to play in their prime together such as Coniglio, Greene, Whitfield, Cameron, Davis, Ward etc.., that's the main difference between the 2 franchises.

GC managed to find them, but they either left, were ravaged by injury, or were headcases.

Both had a pretty equal roll of the dice, and if anything, GC was "given" the better, more hyped and more promising talent to work with initially.

 

[NSWCROW]

Best song in the league, but I agree the jumper sucks. Opposite to WC really, who have the best jumper and worst song.

The colors i can live with , it's the " G " logo i don't like.

Should've gone with the " Georgia / Green Bay " G

 

[Art Corvelay]

They looked to Richmond for inspiration.

28 years of wilderness inspired them to approach the Giants in the opposite direction Richmond were taking?

Yep, that makes sense. Good thinking AFL

 

[PerthBoy86]

I don't think it was done right. Should be located in Tasmania or Darwin, and a name that doesnt lend itself to acronyms.

'Greater Western Sydney' is a mouthful, hence GWS. Reckon they should've just gone with Western Sydney or West Sydney, or even 'Olympic.' Like 'Olympic Giants.'

 

[Professor Knowall]

It's called growing the game! I can understand as an Eagles fan how you can't comprehend but try getting out more.

One of the main reasons for GWS (and GCS) was to drive grassroots growth in these regions. From today's SMH -

Title would be Giant leap for game but real benefits years away: Demetriou

Former AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou says the code's ambitious western Sydney project is ahead of schedule but it could still take decades to reach its potential in the area.

www.smh.com.au

... AFL NSW CEO Sam Graham said the growth since the Giants' arrival had been "incredible".

There have been six new junior AFL clubs introduced in western Sydney since 2012 and there is now a club in all 14 western Sydney local government areas.

In addition to eight new or renovated fields, more than 60 schools have had AFL goal posts installed and participation in junior club football in western Sydney has doubled.

"It's a generational decision to start a club in a new area," he said. "There's a lot of support being generated for the Giants, which creates more interest in the game broadly." "We're seeing consistent growth year-on-year."

Veteran ruckman Shane Mumford has lived on both sides of the divide, joining the expansion club from the Swans in 2014. "This is actually, like crazy. It's brilliant. To get the coverage and things like that, to see the turnout we've got here shows how much the AFL's grown in NSW. It's brilliant to see," Mumford said.

It's night and day to when he first arrived in Sydney a few years ago.

"You go out to schools and you see the footys flying around before you even get there. When I first got to the Swans, you'd go to schools and the teachers weren't really sure if they wanted you there," he said. "The kids had no idea. They'd say 'Where are the rugby players?' "Now they come running over, they know who you are, the participation with girls football as well now has gone through the roof."

 

[Dr Awkward]

They were supposed to be an unbeatable superteam according to many.

I have a feeling that the Frankenstein predictions might actually come true, just a few years later than everyone was expecting.

When you look at the state of their list, and the fact that they get high draft pick academy player every year, they could go on a tear and be very hard to beat for the next 3 - 5 years

 

[Byron_Clanger]

It's all about which players you start your team with. GWS started with Phil Davis and Callan Ward, their current captains. Gold Coast started with Gary Ablett who went there for money and couldn't give two shits about anything else

 

[Andre the Giant]

Will prob get attacked for this. But a key reason is SOS list management.

Compared to GC he nailed their pre draft selections with Shiel, Treloar, Cameron etc

Then drafted excellently - Greene, Kelly, Coniglio etc

Bringing in players like James McDonald, Chad Cornes, Mumford, Ward etc to set the culture and provide cover for the young players

Sorry to burst your illusion but SOS didn’t pick the Pre-listed players, that was Nifty Neville Stibbard.

 

[Evolved1]

I have a feeling that the Frankenstein predictions might actually come true, just a few years later than everyone was expecting.

When you look at the state of their list, and the fact that they get high draft pick academy player every year, they could go on a tear and be very hard to beat for the next 3 - 5 years

GWS are just lacking that belief right now, but it will come if they take the prize on Saturday. It's eerily similar to Richmond's situation prior to winning the 2017 GF, who weren't the best team throughout the regular season either.

 

[Americanpies]

GWS are just lacking that belief right now, but it will come if they take the prize on Saturday. It's eerily similar to Richmond's situation prior to winning the 2017 GF, who weren't the best team throughout the regular season either.

In 2017, Richmond won their last 5 games of the year, including the GF by at least 30 points.

GWS has scraped through in 2 games each by a kick.

Richmond also beat GWS in the Prelim by 36 points at the MCG in 2017 and they had Coniglio, Ward, Scully, Lobb, Shiel, Delidio, Wilson, Patton and Johnson. The replacements for these players in 2019 are Adam Kennedy, Sam Taylor, Sam Reid, Harry Perryman, Brent Daniels, Jeremy Finlayson, Shane Mumford, and Daniel Lloyd.

The belief will be dead on Saturday afternoon, when they come to realize how much of a downgrade these names are from 2017.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Richmond also beat GWS in the Prelim by 36 points at the MCG in 2017 and they had Coniglio, Ward, Scully, Lobb, Shiel, Delidio, Wilson, Patton and Johnson. The replacements for these players in 2019 are Adam Kennedy, Sam Taylor, Sam Reid, Harry Perryman, Brent Daniels, Jeremy Finlayson, Shane Mumford, and Daniel Lloyd.

The belief will be dead on Saturday afternoon, when they come to realize how much of a downgrade these names are from 2017.

Can you please make up your f#*king mind. Are we “stacked with talent gifted to us by the AFL” or are we a “downgrade and far weaker team” on what we had two years ago.

Come on people.

This is not one of those taco “why can’t we have both” moments - it’s one or the other.

 

[Freomaniac]

Primarily it was the quality of the preselections and how they’ve leveraged trades well.

Example A.

Treloar>McCarthy/Hopper/Kennedy

McCarthy & Pick 7>Taranto

Kennedy>͏S͏a͏m Taylor

Um it wasn't McCarthy and pick 7 for Taranto.

Put it this way, freo fans were happy with the trade

Freo traded pick 3 for Cam McCarthy, pick 8 (Griffen Logue), Pick 32 (Sean Darcy) and 72 (Luke Ryan)

Brisbane then traded pick 2, 31, 51 and 60 to GWS for picks 3 and 16.

 

[Freomaniac]

Lenny Hayes - how could the young blokes not be inspired. Quality footballer - better bloke.

considering Lenny Hayes comes from Pennant hills which is north west of Sydney, Im surprised never spent a a year or 2 as a GWS player late in his career.

1st - A board that functions
2nd - Stable coaching
3rd - Not actively seeking guns for hire ( i.e. Ablett) and focused on the draft and player development.
4th - They learned from the failed izzy experiment
5th - Have kept a core group, Cogs, Davies ect... to build a team around
6th - Good deal makers in the back ground

bingo

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Um it wasn't McCarthy and pick 7 for Taranto.

Put it this way, freo fans were happy with the trade

Freo traded pick 3 for Cam McCarthy, pick 8 (Griffen Logue), Pick 32 (Sean Darcy) and 72 (Luke Ryan)

Brisbane then traded pick 2, 31, 51 and 60 to GWS for picks 3 and 16.

That’s all great for you guys, but still great business for GWS. It was about getting a pick ahead of the Setterfield bid and don’t think they took a live pick after Taranto. (Cumming and Flynn also as academy players IIRC).

He’s probably the best player from the draft already and they keep the tradition going with the currency from the Setterfield trade helping them acquire Hill and O’Halloran.

 

[Ghost Patrol]

I lived on the GC during the Brisbane Bears era. The best way forward for the Suns, would be to merge with Southport Sharks.

If not, shift them somewhere further north

 

[Freomaniac]

That’s all great for you guys, but still great business for GWS. It was about getting a pick ahead of the Setterfield bid and don’t think they took a live pick after Taranto. (Cumming and Flynn also as academy players IIRC).

He’s probably the best player from the draft already and they keep the tradition going with the currency from the Setterfield trade helping them acquire Hill and O’Halloran.

Meh trading pick 3 to get 4 solid players is always a good deal

 

[Colonial]

Well there you have it, from the horses mouth. GWS fans actually ARE paid shills, they even get provided the gear to dress up in before they get sent in. LMAO.

Birdbrain being a Birdbrain..

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

A

In 2017, Richmond won their last 5 games of the year, including the GF by at least 30 points.

GWS has scraped through in 2 games each by a kick.

Richmond also beat GWS in the Prelim by 36 points at the MCG in 2017 and they had Coniglio, Ward, Scully, Lobb, Shiel, Delidio, Wilson, Patton and Johnson. The replacements for these players in 2019 are Adam Kennedy, Sam Taylor, Sam Reid, Harry Perryman, Brent Daniels, Jeremy Finlayson, Shane Mumford, and Daniel Lloyd.

The belief will be dead on Saturday afternoon, when they come to realize how much of a downgrade these names are from 2017.

and with that group of players last year Collingwood beat them in the finals but this year giants were minus Whitfield Greene Coniglio Lids Shiel Ward and others and managed to beat the Collingwood this year in the finals at the G.

In the past maybe GWS could be accused of maybe trying to play perfect footy with all their talent, but this this postseason in particular they’ve really dug in their heels and are getting it done just through effort and toughness.

They’re a different version this year. Will take everything Richmond has to beat them.

 

[Boomerfan99]

Even though my team is against them this weekend, even I was overwhelmed by how emotional the scenes were after the Collingwood match for them. One for the ages, no doubt.

But how did the AFL get this team so right?

The theme song, team colours and logo are killer.

The drafted and retained players really well, but I can’t really figure it out? How have the Giants been so successful whilst GC are complete and utter trash?

I will pull you up on club theme song. It’s terrible.

 

[Colonial]

I will pull you up on club theme song. It’s terrible.

Philistine

 

[PetterdHoisted]

They just had so much support early on they could live through horrendous Sheedy stuff-ups like making Scully (and dad) their marquee million $ man. The Ablett deal at GC pales in comparison to that waste of money.

But again, the fact that GWS was allowed to pillage the Demons list, when the Dees (like the Tiges) were already on their knees and facing years of no improvement thanks to GC/GWS draft concessions...

It tells you that GWS was truly the AFLs team in a way GC never was. The AFL wasn't going to bomb in Sydney.

 

[Rotayjay]

'Greater Western Sydney' is a mouthful, hence GWS. Reckon they should've just gone with Western Sydney or West Sydney, or even 'Olympic.' Like 'Olympic Giants.'

I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say the marketing team copied BWS the liquor shop chain. Almost the same letters, sound and colours.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

They looked to Richmond for inspiration.

They looked for 40 years of poverty and failure? Surely not.

 

[Colonial]

They just had so much support early on they could live through horrendous Sheedy stuff-ups like making Scully (and dad) their marquee million $ man. The Ablett deal at GC pales in comparison to that waste of money.

But again, the fact that GWS was allowed to pillage the Demons list, when the Dees (like the Tiges) were already on their knees and facing years of no improvement thanks to GC/GWS draft concessions...

It tells you that GWS was truly the AFLs team in a way GC never was. The AFL wasn't going to bomb in Sydney.

Lol pillage? It was 1 player.