KFC SuperCoach: Heath Shaw delivers his verdict on 10 relevant GWS Giants players

He had a dirty year in 2021 but Stephen Coniglio could be the KFC SuperCoach steal of 2022, according to former teammate Heath Shaw. See his intel on 10 key Giants.

After playing 16 years at the top level, I’ve seen plenty of coaches come and go.

But one thing we all know is that to coach an AFL team, you need to be little different: a lateral thinker, a bit left of centre and at times, or just plain nuts. I think I fit the bill.

Consistency and predictability from coaches is ideal in match committee for KFC SuperCoaches, but sometimes the magnets get thrown around.

Enter Leon Cameron.

Injury form or suspension has led my old coach to think outside the square at times with selection, which has worked to great effect in winning games but has cost SuperCoaches valuable points in the process.

Tim Taranto forward in the absence of Toby Greene, Tom Green rising star favourite to reserves, and Lachie Ash run as a tagger.

He has the cojones to do it and at times you think, ‘what is the method to this madness?’

But at the end of the day, results speak for themselves so SuperCoaches beware: the mad scientist no doubt will strike again 2022.

Here is my take on the key players and roles for the Giants players for 2022.

Lachie Whitfield is one of the most popular defenders in KFC SuperCoach. Picture: Getty Images

DEFENDERS

Lachie Whitfield $502,600 MID

I said to then footy Graeme ‘Gubby’ Allan in the first year that I got to the Giants that one day, this kid will win a Brownlow – and that was just after watching him train. A lot of people say Toby Greene is the best player at the Giants, but Whitfield is better. He is the best decision maker and the most skilful player in the comp. And his workrate is unbelievable for someone I’d classify as ‘skinny-fat’. He’s just about my first-picked player in KFC SuperCoach at that price, and hopefully he can avoid injury. We saw what an injury-free Whitfield was capable of a few years back, earning All-Australian status and winning a best-and-fairest. He’s obviously an offender before a defender which bodes well for his scoring – he wouldn’t have known what the backline looked like before he got to the Giants.

Isaac Cumming $505,700

Cumming had his breakout year in 2021, where he played every game and scored pretty well. He learnt a bit off me taking the kick-outs and sneaking some points here, there and everywhere. But at $500k, it is a pretty hefty price. The Giants might have Whitfield down there taking kick-outs, or Lachie Ash. You are probably better off forking out another $50k and looking at an option who can average 110.

Lachie Ash $413,400, MID

He split his time in the midfield and off halfback last year but when you push into the midfield to tag, you won’t be getting the ball as much. I think he’ll be playing off halfback and maybe on the wing in 2022, though. It’s definitely not a bad price given his potential to be a fairly high scorer, because he is fit, durable and has talent.

Josh Kelly has been largely overlooked this year. Picture: Phil Hillyard

MIDFIELD

Josh Kelly $582,000

People get a bit greedy in KFC SuperCoach, jumping off household name Kelly after a slight dip in his season average. Currently in two per cent of teams, he is definitely a good choice, as he will play 95 per cent in the midfield and doesn’t rest in the forward line that often. Kelly is a ball-magnet and he is capable of producing 150-plus totals and tearing teams apart.

Tom Green $430,000

Back at Collingwood we used to call Luke Ball ‘the shovel’ – because he just shovelled the ball out to the other midfielders. And Green is definitely a shovel. Green was a coach killer last year, but I’ve heard from some friends up in Sydney that he is flying, his body is in unbelievable shape and he is covering the ground really well. He will get more opportunity to be that starting midfielder with the likes of Tim Taranto and Stephen Coniglio playing forward, and Ward playing on a wing. He’s the type that will win the contested ball, shovel it out to Kelly. I liken him to Josh P Kennedy from the Swans, and I think he is ready to take that next step.

Should we pick Braydon Preuss? Picture: Getty Images

RUCK

Braydon Preuss $204,700 RUC

Will Preuss the No. 1 man? It’s a tough one. The Giants’ final pre-season match will definitely determine which ruckman starts in Round 1. You will have Preuss coming up against one of the best ruckmen in the competition in Brodie Grundy in the AAMI Community Series. I think he will start against Grundy, and it will give him every opportunity to cement that spot for Round 1 and be that No. 1 ruck that the Giants have been crying out for the past 10 years. I wouldn’t classify Shane Mumford as a No. 1 ruckman anywhere, on any team. The Giants do rate him and they do want him to play, and when he has played consistently without injury, he has shown signs of being a pretty good ruckman. But he hasn’t shown that for a long time.

FORWARD

Tim Taranto $529,700, MID

Taranto will spend the first five games up forward with Greene sidelined. He will still get his chance as an on-baller though, as he is a best-and-fairest winning midfielder. He’s not like 90 per cent of the midfielders out there who just run forward, he actually has two directions which is rare to find. I don’t think it is a risk putting him in your team, but he is not going to be scoring what he has been in previous years at the start of the year. It will be a 50/50, maybe even 60/40 split. He will be spewing about kicking a few goals and playing so well in the forward line last year. Similar thing happened to me – I went to the half back flank in a practice game and Mick Malthouse kept me there for nine years at Collingwood.

Tim Taranto is in fine knick, but will be spending more time forward with Toby Greene out. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Toby Greene $495,000

I wrote an article last year saying that I wouldn’t put Toby in my team, purely because previously he had got himself into trouble with suspensions and injuries. I copped a little bit of backlash for that one, but I was proved right in the end. But when he comes back he will be a caged animal with a point to prove. He has the responsibility of being captain and he will be fit and fresh. I will definitely consider him when he returns.

Stephen Coniglio $261,300, MID

He is so cheap and is a forward, so you definitely throw him in the team. He has got on top of his injuries during the pre-season and Cameron has mentioned he is getting that confidence back. Coniglio won’t be getting back into that 2018-19 form straight away, but he’ll build into it and he is very determined. He has had a pretty rough two years – it is more the off-field stuff that has impacted him than his injuries. They say you need a bit of luck to win a premiership, but some players just need a bit of luck to be back at their best. I’m looking forward to him playing really well this year.

Tanner Bruhn $263,300

It doesn’t look like there will be any second year blues for this speedy youngster. From what I’ve heard, his training has been off the charts. Eventually he will make his way into the midfield but at the moment he’s cutting his teeth at half forward. He kicked a bag in a pre-season game last year so he does have ability, and is going to be a mainstay up forward. Bruhn is at an awkward price but he is one to watch this year.