GWS has no chance of winning the premiership without a fit Toby Greene, writes Mick McGuane

GWS were the buzz team of the AFL after Round 1 but came crashing back to earth after a belting from West Coast. Where are the Giants at? MICK MCGUANE says it all starts with Toby Greene.

GWS are a midfield powerhouse, but that strength will pale into insignificance this year if they can’t use the ball effectively going forward.

Last week’s loss to West Coast exposed some structural issues with their forward half game and I don’t believe the Giants can be a premiership force unless they get Toby Greene fully fit and firing.

In a nutshell, I think it’s fair to say the GWS forward half game against West Coast was terrible. Greene is the missing link as a high half forward. He is the link that can get up the ground, turn defence into attack and create that vacuum of space for those behind him.

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Superstar Josh Kelly might be back this week and midfield general Callan Ward in the weeks to come, but the headache for coach Leon Cameron is his issues in front of the ball, and also the Giants’ ball use going in.

Against a team like West Coast or Richmond, who they meet on Saturday, you can’t just bomb it inside the forward 50 because you’ll get outmarked against a very organised defence.

You have to be able to enter your forward 50 with purpose and precision.

The Eagles have sensational intercept readers of the game and that’s a trait of all the top teams in AFL footy.

Toby Greene celebrates a goal during last year’s finals series. Picture: Phil Hillyard

West Coast took 14 intercepts in the Giants’ forward 50, the most of any side this season, simply because GWS fell into the trap of playing to the Eagles’ strengths.

The Giants had ample opportunities and were plus 15 for inside 50s — without question a positive return against such a good side. But you can’t just hack the ball in against the best, and that’s why GWS had just three first-half goals.

Turnovers are inevitable, but it’s where the Giants are turning it over that’s a concern.

What you don’t want is to give the ball back and then also get scored against, and West Coast were able to continually slingshot from their defensive 50 to their forward 50 and scored eight of their 16 goals from their methodical ball use from the back half — a huge number in the modern game.

Richmond are missing their star Alex Rance, but the Tigers play to a system irrespective of who is in or out.

The Giants have to understand that they are going to play against a very organised defensive unit, even without Rance, and if they continually bomb the ball in like they did last week, the Tigers are very capable of not only intercepting the ball but killing the marking contest.

If they’re going to rely on forward 50 marks to get the job done at Giants Stadium, their mids to forwards connection must improve, otherwise GWS could end up with a result like last week. To kick only three goals with the talent they have and the opportunities they had in that first half against West Coast was pretty damning.