Kieren Briggs on his rise from fringe big man to GWS Giants’ No. 1 ruckman

Kieren Briggs spent four years as the third-choice ruckman for GWS — then his career exploded overnight. He chats to LACHLAN MCKIRDY about how it happened and this weekend’s battle with Brodie Grundy.

Giants Kieren Briggs celebrates with Josh Kelly after Kelly goal during the AFL Round 19 match between the GWS Giants and Gold Coast Suns at Manuka oval, Canberra on July 22, 2023. Photo by Phil Hillyard (Image Supplied for Editorial Use only – **NO ON SALES** – ©Phil Hillyard )

It was late in the Giants’ match against the Lions on Anzac Day when a thought crossed Kieren Briggs’ mind for the first time in his AFL career.

The Giants were safe with an unassailable lead in the fourth quarter and Briggs had picked up the ball in space. Outside him, Tom Green was streaming down the boundary line. Inside, Xavier O’Halloran was calling for the ball.

But this was Briggs’ chance to shine and finally leave the ‘no-bounce club’.

“I probably could have given it off, but if you can use it, you use it,” Briggs said.

“It wasn’t (in my mind). It’s funny looking back at it, it looks like I’ve just had the arrogance to bounce it. But in my head, I was worried I had had a few too many steps.

“I went to have a bounce and then I remembered it was a bit dewy and I was like, I hope this comes back to me.”

Briggs doesn’t expect the bounce to become a regular fixture of his game. Picture: Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

It was the cherry on top of another dominant performance for the emerging ruckman. Briggs finished with a career-high 34 hit-outs and eight clearances against last year’s grand finalists as his stocks continue to rise in the competition.

The 24-year-old has come a long way in the past 12 months. This time last year, he was still on the fringes of the Giants’ best 23 waiting for his opportunity.

Now, he’s the first-choice ruckman for one of the premiership favourites and has starred in each of GWS’ past 24 matches. It’s a far cry from the nine matches he had played across four seasons before last May.

“I always knew I had the ability in myself and it was probably a bit of a confidence thing as well when I took the step from VFL to AFL,” Briggs said.

“But last year, getting that consistency in my game was the biggest issue. Finding that has been really pleasing.

“(The midfield group has) played a lot of games together now in such a short period of time, so we know what each other’s strengths are. We talk about bringing your strengths, whether it’s Tom Green being a bull or Finn Callaghan’s run and carry … it’s exciting that we have such a vast calibre of players that work for us.”

Briggs and Green have the second-best combination in the AFL for gathers from hit-outs. Picture: Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Despite being one of the top three ruckmen in the competition this season for clearances (6.7) and centre clearances (3.1), Briggs’ rise hasn’t been without its challenges.

A perfect example was in the Giants’ round-six loss to Carlton. GWS’ midfield was thoroughly outclassed by the Blues, with Marc Pittonet and Tom De Koning nullifying Briggs’ impact around the stoppages.

Taking lessons out of performances like that is the next step for Briggs to evolve into one of the AFL’s elite ruckmen.

“We got challenged the week before against Carlton in our midfield and were definitely beaten in that space,” Briggs said.

“Shane (Mumford — the Giants’ ruck coach) and I reviewed the game pretty hard and I probably wasn’t good enough in the contest. Credit to both of them, they came out and performed well.

“But it’s not something I get my head down about. Footy comes around quickly and the next week you’re playing another game. I think it was a good learning curve in places where I can improve my game, but it wasn’t something I was too disappointed about.”

The next challenge for Briggs is a showdown against former All-Australian ruckman Brodie Grundy and the high-flying Swans at the SCG.

The developing ruckman is relishing the chance to take on Brodie Grundy at a packed SCG in the Sydney Derby. Picture: Phil Hillyard

A rusted-on Giants fan as a kid growing up in the Hills District, the famous old ground never attracted the same aura for Briggs as many other footy fans growing up in the state. But as he prepares for just his second Sydney Derby, and his first on enemy territory, he’s hopeful of continuing his recent dominance against a player he always looked up to.

“I didn’t really start playing until I was 12 or 13,” he said. “So I probably watched more games at ANZ Stadium than I did at the SCG.

“It’s got a lot of history around it, and sport there is a bit sacred so it’s exciting to run out in front of 40,000+ this week.

“I’ve looked at (Brodie’s) game for a few years and really valued his follow-up work. I regard him as one of the best in the comp, so it’s definitely a big challenge this week and it will probably go a long way to how the game unfolds

“I’m hearing a lot of people talk about the hype for the match. Being from Sydney as well, it’s exciting to see how far AFL has come.

“With two teams going really well from Sydney, it’s a bit of a vibe this week. It’ll be exciting to see the crowd up and about and hopefully, there’s a few more orange fans there this week.”