GWS Giants will enter 2016 finals with just 70 games of experience combined
WHEN Essendon’s band of whiz kids were dubbed ‘The Baby Bombers’ way back in 1993, they boasted almost double the finals experience GWS have now.
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WHEN Essendon’s band of whiz kids were dubbed ‘The Baby Bombers’ way back in ‘93, they boasted almost double the finals experience that GWS have now.
‘Baby Giants’ might sound like an oxymoron, but as they prepare for a baptism of fire against the Sydney Swans, they go in as the least finals’ credentialed team to vie for an AFL flag in well over a decade.
Just six players have finals experience on the GWS list for a total of 70 big-time matches between them.
That’s nothing compared to the 125 games Kevin Sheedy’s fresh-faced Bombers had at their disposal for their much-lauded premiership charge two decades ago, and the most greenhorns to appear in an AFL finals’ series since Fremantle debuted in the post-season for the first time in 2003 with just 36 finals games to speak of.
The onus on the Giants’ big three of Steve Johnson, Shane Mumford and Heath Shaw to lead the way is enormous – given 51 of the 70 games finals experience is being carried on their shoulders.
In contrast, the enemy they will face next Saturday from the eastern suburbs of Sydney have at least 15 finals veterans in their first-choice side they can call on for direction, with more than 180 combined games of experience at the cut-throat level of the game.
Statistics would suggest GWS simply don’t have the runs on the board to be a genuine chance in 2016. A last-second choke against West Coast three weeks ago was enough for former great Matthew Lloyd to write them off completely.
But the young Giants – with all the potential to be an AFL force for a decade to come – have flatly dismissed the notion that this year is more likely about fact-finding and teeth-cutting than popping the champagne on the first weekend of October.
“Why not us?” was the mantra adopted by the Boston Red Sox when they broke the 86-year curse of the Bambino to win the 2004 World Series – and it’s the same war cry that’s being bellowed around Tom Willis Oval this year.
The Baby Giants believe they can walk before they crawl.
“Why can’t we go all the way this year? That’s our view,” is the bold declaration made by Josh Kelly, one of 13 Giants preparing to do the unthinkable at 23 years and under.
“We have confidence in our system and confidence in our team.
“We’ve made the top four now and we see no reason why it can’t be us.
“We’re definitely not just in the finals to fill numbers, we’re hoping to do some damage.”
Coming from the clouds to win a premiership certainly isn’t without precedent.
In 1997, the Adelaide Crows, who were admitted to the league six seasons earlier, stormed all the way to the flag with just 54 matches of combined finals experience – less than the Giants have now.
If the Giants fall short this year, most good judges feel they’ll be back bigger and better for the following seasons.
But GWS refuse to think like that.
“Nothing in life is ever guaranteed,” says foundation player, Tom Scully.
“History shows that just because you make it one year doesn’t guarantee you’re going to make it for years on end.
“There’s been plenty of sides that have had great years in the past, made finals, then bowed out and not made it the next year.
“We know we’ve got a great opportunity the next couple of weeks and we’re not taking anything for granted.
“We know how hard we’ve had to work to get here and we certainly don’t want to flirt with that and miss an opportunity.”
For the Giants’ loyal band of youngsters, they trust in Johnson, Mumford and Shaw to lead them to the promised land.
Shaw is a big talker, Mumford is a man of action and Johnson does it all.
“Mumford does it all year and we definitely feed off him the way he attacks the ball and attacks the contest,” said Kelly.
“All our leaders have different styles but come game day they’re putting everything on the line and their wealth of experience is going to become absolutely massive for us.”
The Sydney Swans are as well versed in finals experience as any team in the AFL, but interestingly they’ve had seven debutants this year – a massive number for a team that’s finished minor premiers.
Only the bottom feeder teams have had more.
But Swans rookies seem to slot into the side like they’ve been there all their lives, and rookie Aliir Aliir – given confidence by those around him - says he never doubted that he belonged in Sydney’s team of champions.
“Not really, I always had that self-belief that I could play at the top level and I would be able to compete at the highest level ,” he said.
“I don’t think I’ve really reflected on too many games I’ve had … I just knew I could do it.
“It’s the finals and it’s pretty big but at the end of the day it’s just another game of footy.”
AGE GAME
Essendon’s 1993 “Baby Bombers” had 7 players under 21
Gavin Wanganeen, David Calthorpe, Dustin Fletcher, Rick Olarenshaw, Mark Mercuri, James Hird, Joe Misiti
The Giants in 2016 have 13 players under 23
Jeremy Cameron, Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Jacob Hopper, Josh Kelly, Rory Lobb, Jon Patton, Dylan Shiel, Devon Smith, Adam Tomlinson, Lachie Whitfield, Zac Williams, Nathan Wilson
HOW THE GIANTS COMPARE TO THE BABY BOMBERS AND OTHER EXPANSION TEAMS WHEN IT COMES TO FINALS FOOTBALL
1988: West Coast list had only 16 games combined finals experience going into the club’s first final
1993: Essendon’s list had 125 combined finals experience going into the finals series.
1995: The Brisbane Bears’ list had only 67 games combined finals experience going into the club’s first final
1997: Adelaide’s list had only 54 combined finals experience going into the final series
1999: Port Adelaide’s list had only 35 combined finals experience going into the club’s first final
2003: Fremantle’s list had only 36 combined finals experience going into the club’s first final
2016: Giants list have only 70 combined finals experience going into the club’s first final
Originally published as GWS Giants will enter 2016 finals with just 70 games of experience combined
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