GWS Giants to unveil nine debutants including all top-20 draft picks against West Coast
It’s young talent time again for the Giants who have named nine debutants for Saturday’s JLT Community Series opener against West Coast in Narrandera.
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IT’S young talent time again for the GWS Giants, who have named no less than nine debutants for Saturday’s JLT Community Series opener against West Coast in Narrandera.
That’s not quite the 17 first-gamers the Giants played in their inaugural AFL match five years ago but the league’s youngest team certainly have a very fresh look about them.
Coach Leon Cameron’s side will feature all four of their top 20 picks from last year’s national draft, including Tim Taranto (pick 2), Will Setterfield (pick 5), Harry Perryman (pick 14) and Isaac Cumming (pick 20), as well as Lachie Tiziani (pick 54) and rookie draftee Zac Sproule.
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Former Fremantle Docker Tendai Mzungu, Commonwealth Games decathlete Jake Stein and second-year rookie Daniel Lloyd will also line up for GWS for the first time.
“It’s pretty cool to be playing with all the other young boys,” Taranto said.
“Leon sat all the young boys down and said it’s the first time he’s seen all the draftees get through pre-season pretty much unscathed. Everyone is excited like me and not quite sure what to expect.”
Taranto finished the TAC Cup and representative season very strongly to finish up being drafted ahead of early No.1 tip Hugh McCluggage.
Leading into the draft, Taranto rode a wave of publicity in Melbourne which has virtually evaporated in his first three months in Sydney’s west.
“In Sydney I can live like a normal dude,” Taranto said.
“As a young player who hasn’t played a game yet there’s not much publicity but I know the older players appreciate it that they don’t get hassled on the street which is what happens when they go to Melbourne.”
Since he arrived before Christmas, Taranto has been working hard through a pre-season in the hottest summer Sydney has experienced in years. He has been working so hard he didn’t even bother to look up where Narrandera is on the map.
“I didn’t even know if it was in Victoria or NSW,” Taranto said.
If Taranto gets lost on the way to the ground he’ll have plenty of teammates to give him directions. Zac Williams and Matt Flynn both come from Narrandera and another five from surrounding towns including Setterfield from Albury.
“The first year players are very close we do a lot of things together at the club and outside the club,” Setterfield said.
“It’s great to play our first game together, we have a really good relationship with each other. Having good chemistry certainly helps on the field.”
Callan Ward, Jeremy Cameron, Devon Smith and Nick Haynes have also been named in the 29-man squad but are unlikely to play.
Star Richmond recruit Brett Deledio (calf), Shane Mumford (elbow) and Steve Johnson (thumb) are unavailable due to injury.
The match will be televised live from Narrandera at 2pm on Fox Footy.
Originally published as GWS Giants to unveil nine debutants including all top-20 draft picks against West Coast
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