GWS Blueprint: Giants will lose more fans to soccer if they keep losing, writes David King
THE GWS Giants’ problem isn’t style, talent or any other AFL team. It’s their cross-town A-League rivals the Wanderers, writes David King.
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GREATER Western Sydney’s problem isn’t style, talent or any other AFL team.
It’s the Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League that have captured the supporter base of the area targeted for AFL growth in Blacktown.
BIG CHALLENGE: RETENTION A CONCERN FOR YOUNG GIANTS
The Giants must win games to energise this market, which is proving to be a huge challenge.
PROS
THE Giants’ six-win season was a dramatic improvement from the one in 2013.
They became a far more competitive outfit, involved in six games decided by 10 points or less as compared to one the previous year.
They slashed their average losing margin from 71 points to 45 points, which is significant and saved five goals defensively on average a week from 2013 to 2014 — bearing in mind those achievements were from a very low base and coach Leon Cameron would have expected those improvements to have been about par.
The Giants’ pressure was the reason they won games this season.
They averaged 80 tackles and were able to score 15 more points post turnover than their opponents. In their victories and, by comparison, their losses, they only laid 63 tackles and the opposition outscored them on turnover by 23 points.
The gap is too big and their lows must be ironed out in 2015 but fundamentally they’re capable.
The acquisition of Joel Patfull and the reintroduction of Phil Davis ensures genuine competitiveness, more leadership and organisation in the backline, particularly at defensive-half stoppages.
Only St Kilda conceded more from defensive 50 stoppages than GWS.
Ryan Griffen is the big-bodied, quality midfielder they’ve craved, and I sincerely hope he and Leon Cameron see eye to eye. What he can do in combination with Adam Treloar and Callan Ward may just be something special in 2015.
The magnitude of Rhys Palmer’s season wasn’t lost internally at the Giants as 20-plus goals and genuine forward-half damage offers him a long-term role of significance.
CONS
GREATER Western Sydney must improve its total team defence.
It’s always difficult to inject defensive attitudes into ball-winning elite juniors who’ve simply never rated the game when their team doesn’t have possession.
The Giants need to put their opposition under more pressure in the mid-zone of the ground, between the 50m arcs. In 2014 they forced the fifth fewest turnovers — the club will not climb the ladder until this improves.
Tom Boyd is gone and Jonathon Patton is in rehabilitation for the bulk of next season, leaving Jeremy Cameron to shoulder the load forward of centre.
The 2015 season will prove whether Cameron is the 69-goal 2013 or the 29-goal 2014 version and just what is the Cameron package?
The 2014 season was significantly affected through injury. The Giants always appeared to have a plethora of options in the forward line, but 2015 may expose some concerns.
The Giants must get tougher at the coalface. Averaging 11 contested possessions less than their direct opponents on a weekly basis, they are ranked 17th in the competition. This just isn’t good enough.
The Giant midfielders aren’t winning initial possession, and not defending it once lost to the standard required to be a top eight contender just yet.
Ryan Griffen must stamp his leadership here.
Cameron knows that six wins in 2014 provides a great platform on which to build. Their growth will come from their endeavours without possession if they’re to achieve a 10-plus win season in 2015.
If they don’t how will they attract fans away from the Wanderers who are actually in Blacktown.
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