GWS 2024 season review: Where to now for Giants after straight-sets exit
After throwing away 20-plus leads at the final change of consecutive finals, GWS are licking their wounds. LACHLAN McKIRDY delves into the Giants’ season and what comes next.
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A season of Giant expectations has come to a grinding halt after GWS’s dramatic exit from this year’s finals.
They produced some of their best football in September, stunning both the Swans and Lions to take big leads into three-quarter time. However, their remarkable late fade-outs to throw away both matches has consigned them to a summer of soul-searching and their first-ever straight-sets exit.
Heading into Adam Kingsley’s third season, the talented coach faces his biggest challenge yet. They’ve proven before they can put finals heartache behind them, but for the second straight year their list, which is certainly capable of winning a premiership, will be watching the grand final from home.
There is set to be plenty of list turnover, some more young talent come through the door, and some of their most experienced players are another year older. But a year of so much promise for the Giants has ended once again with a taste of dissatisfaction, knowing they were capable of so much more.
2024 Season
The Giants were one of the teams to watch following their 2023 preliminary final run. They went within a point of stunning the eventual premiers, Collingwood, and many felt their brand would stack up well 12 months on.
Initially, they were proven right. A flying start to the season, which included an important Opening Round win over the Pies, gave them a solid platform to build on with five wins from five games. However, a run of two wins in eight matches in the middle portion of the year left many questioning whether the orange tsunami game style was sustainable. But yet again, they found a way, stringing together an equal-club record seven-game win streak to confirm a top-four finish. Three-straight losses to end the season, including two in finals, was far from ideal, but they will take some confidence out of the fact they earned the double chance.
Their best game came at home against Carlton in round 17 where they produced an incredible goal blitz to resurrect their season. A stretch of 14 goals to two gave the Giants belief, sparking their winning streak and at the same time, marking the start of the Blues’ slide down the ladder.
One of the key problems for the Giants in 2024 was regular injuries. Key players such as Sam Taylor, Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio missed seven or more games across the year. They weren’t able to find that consistency, and despite getting minutes into some talented youngsters, it felt like their best 23 was never quite able to click to the elite level they knew they could.
The other concern was that other teams seemed to figure out their style of play. The momentum of their handball chains and forward pressure was elite in 2023. This year, teams were able to shut it down more regularly when they applied pressure. There were stretches where the Giants struggled to consistently hit the scoreboard because they couldn’t generate the inside 50 entries they wanted.
Thankfully for Adam Kingsley, he had Jesse Hogan upfront. Hogan finished the season with 77 goals, the most ever by a Giant, as he claimed the Coleman Medal and dominated key defenders across the competition. He single-handedly kept GWS in games with his incredible contested marking ability, while his deadeye shots for goal ensured the Giants made the most of their opportunities up forward.
We also saw some positive steps in the development of their key youngsters. Former number one pick Aaron Cadman responded to being dropped in the middle of the year by producing a fantastic back half of the season, finishing with 30 goals. Harvey Thomas played 22 games in his first season, while the electric pace of Darcy Jones finally got to be seen at AFL level. Inaugural Giant Callan Ward also turned back the clock with some standout performances, signing a new one-year deal to go around again.
Toby Greene and Stephen Coniglio both had quieter years by their standards. Greene still finished with 44 goals, while Coniglio was hampered by a shoulder injury for much of the year. However, after being so integral to their success in 2023, the pair will be hoping to bounce back and have a more consistent impact on the field as they search for the premiership they’ve been working towards for more than a decade.
Off-season moves
We already know at least two big-name Giants, Isaac Cumming and Nick Haynes, will be on the move. However, they played a combined 14 games in 2024 so the pieces are already there to replace them. Harry Perryman is another weighing up deals to move interstate, and his flexible defensive-midfield roll may prove harder to cover.
James Peatling has emerged as an important part of the Giants’ midfield, and the local Western Sydney product looks set to re-sign on a three-year deal. Conor Stone is another likely to remain having played a bit-part role this year.
Social media starlet Cooper Hamilton is unlikely to be offered a new deal, while the club will also look to move on from Braydon Preuss after his injury-hampered spell there. The ball will likely be in Lachie Keeffe’s court about whether he wants to play on or retire. Foundation Giant Adam Kennedy also worked tirelessly to get back to VFL level after an ACL injury, but it’s hard to see him featuring in Kingsley’s senior plans going forward.
Looking at their list, there aren’t too many holes. There defence is set up for success with Taylor, Jack Buckley, Connor Idun and Harry Himmelberg. If Cadman continues to be a foil for Hogan then their forward stocks are sorted with Callum Brown and Jake Riccardi still to return. While around the midfield, Tom Green is only 23 and Peatling’s emergence will help those stocks.
Two potential areas to look at in the draft or with trades are the ruck or wing. Kieren Briggs is the clear number one, but below him is probably Keeffe and young Nic Madden. Academy product Logan Smith impressed at this year’s under-18 championships and the Giants will likely match any bid for him on draft night to get him to the club.
With the departure of Cumming, Perryman maybe on the way out and Ward’s move to the wing, getting some more young support in those areas could be a priority. Jacob Wehr has played a fair big chunk of footy and looks like a silky left footer, while Ryan Angwin continues to impress and Joe Fonti looks the good off halfback. The other option is James Leake who the club has big wraps on and is yet to make his AFL debut. They have the players already, but will look to add to that depth.
Off the field
There is no pressure on Adam Kingsley, that’s definitive. He extended his contract earlier this year with a deal that will take him through to the end of 2028. But there is an expectation that the Giants have a premiership-winning list and the clock is ticking on them to deliver. The list and style of play stacks up, but the key is to make sure they can produce it for four quarters.
Outside of Cumming, and maybe Perryman, there shouldn’t be too much change to their best 23. And those who will come in, like Fonti, Leake or Leek Aleer, have had some time to acclimate to the AFL. Therefore, there will be pressure on the Giants to perform.
The Giants looked out on their legs in both of their finals’ fourth quarters. The Swans and Lions completely ran over the top of them as they looked to save the game. Systems went out the window and their problems getting the ball forward re-emerged. It’s likely fitness and sustaining their pressure for four quarters will be a big focus over the off-season.
Tactically, there were some shrewd moves this year from Kingsley. The decision to play Toby Bedford as a tagger paid off big time with some strong performances, while Callan Ward looked rejuvenated on the wing.
It’s clear their best footy still stacks up. Kingsley has said as much and 90 per cent of their performances proved it. But can they find that killer edge to their handball chains again to get their attacking movements going again?
2025 Preview
Toby Greene is still the leader of this football club and it’s highly unlikely that will change. Despite a quieter season, it was still strong by most standards and the competitor he is, he will look to bounce back from the front.
But it’s time for the next generation of Giants to lead this team because that’s when they’re at their strongest. Josh Kelly, Lachie Whitfield and Stephen Coniglio are all elite talents, but this has to be Sam Taylor and Tom Green leading the charge. They’re the players that will be integral to their inaugural premiership, whether that comes in 2025 or later.
A key area the Giants pride themselves on is defence. But they became incredibly porous, leaking inside 50s regularly and conceding plenty of big scores. That will be a big focus for 2025, especially with players like Taylor and Buckley who are motivated to be the best in the competition.
If they can push past their finals heartache, the upside is still there. But, it will take a big off-season, a thorough and comprehensive review of what went wrong, and a rejuvenated playing group to atone for this year’s disappointment. They should be aiming for another top-four finish, but playing finals has to be the bare minimum for this team in 2025.
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Originally published as GWS 2024 season review: Where to now for Giants after straight-sets exit
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