GWS Giants defender Connor Idun expecting spiteful final against Sydney
Rising star nominee Connor Idun is expecting big things from an elimination final between GWS and Sydney as the youngster reveals what he gave up to become a senior regular.
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GWS Giants defender Connor Idun is expecting a “good old fashioned bloodbath” when his side faces fierce rivals Sydney in a cutthroat elimination final on Saturday.
The former Drysdale junior will play a key role manning the likes of Tom Papley and Isaac Heeney in the days after claiming the final NAB Rising Star nomination of the season.
The two Sydney-based sides have met in two previous finals and the Giants saluted in spiteful affairs on both occasions.
“There is a really big rivalry going on in the finals and we really get a lot of energy going out when we play those derbies,” Idun said.
“We are pretty familiar with the way they play and they know how we play so it is going to be a good old fashioned bloodbath and I am really looking forward to it.”
The Giants won four of their last five games to qualify for the finals and Idun said he was “really confident” the season can stretch well beyond this weekend.
The adaptable defender has played 21 games in orange this year after managing just three combined across his first two seasons.
He said he became more disciplined over the off-season to get his fitness to AFL standard and he has since won the trust of defensive assistant coaches Mark McVeigh and Adam Schneider.
The 21-year-old got stuck into intense running and cross-training and mostly stopped a sweet habit.
“I definitely gave up some of those family block of chocolates I was eating most days but I didn’t have to give up too much,” he said.
“It’s just eating the right things at the right times and knowing when to treat yourself and when to stay strict to the diet.
“I think my professionalism as a footy player wasn’t quite there in previous years so I went back to basics with my diet. I learned how to work hard and I was training with other people over the off-season instead of training by myself and that really helped.”
Originally published as GWS Giants defender Connor Idun expecting spiteful final against Sydney
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