AFL 2017 season review: How Neil Cordy would fix Greater Western Sydney
FROM the moment he arrived at GWS, Heath Shaw has been a star. But is time finally starting to catch up with him? How can the Giants help their star defender?
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AFTER falling just short of a Grand Final berth in 2016, GWS entered 2017 as premiership favourites.
For much of the season they lived up to that expectations before a poor end to the year and second straight preliminary final exit.
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Injuries to Jeremy Cameron and Shane Mumford during the finals cruelled the Giants’ hopes but the development (and re-signing) of Josh Kelly was a bright spot.
The Daily Telegraph footy expert Neil Cordy looks back on the Giants’ season and runs the rule over what they need to go one - or two - steps further next year.
SEASON REVIEW
GWS Giants started the year as premiership favourites but didn’t get past the preliminary final stage for the second year in a row.
After being belted by Adelaide in Round 1 they couldn’t establish any momentum, hindered largely by an injury list which took more than 140 games out of their best 22 and didn’t let up.
They lost Shane Mumford and Jeremy Cameron after week one of the finals and Dylan Shiel early in Saturday’s preliminary final.
There were glimpses of form throughout the year but nothing with any continuity, and the finals played out in the same fashion.
The club’s biggest steps for the future were taken off the field through the re-signing of players, headlined by Josh Kelly.
After a season of speculation and monster multimillion-dollar offers from North Melbourne, Carlton, St Kilda and Essendon, Kelly stayed.
Plenty of his mates had opted in without the hesitation, including Shiel, Stephen Coniglio, Jacob Hopper, Adam Tomlinson, Rory Lobb, Harrison Himmelberg, Harry Perryman, Will Setterfield, Tim Taranto and Lachie Whitfield.
Devon Smith is the only player not to recommit and he looks bound for Carlton.
THE PROBLEMS
The big knock on the Giants all year was the defensive pressure in their forward line.
If they didn’t score when they went inside 50 the opposition would bring the ball back out twice as fast as it went in.
It put enormous pressure on their defence and midfield runners such as Scully and Whitfield, who were forced to push back continually.
It improved in the finals when the Giants played just two talls in Rory Lobb and Jonathon Patton.
They looked a lot better and out-tackled Richmond 11-10 inside their forward 50 in the preliminary final.
SOLUTIONS
The smaller more mobile line-up looks a lot better for the Giants, offensively and defensively. It’s the way the game is going. Both grand finalists Adelaide and Richmond have brilliant small forwards who dominated the scoring in both the preliminary finals.
Eddie Betts and Charlie Cameron led the way for the Crows and Daniel Rioli, Dustin Martin and Dan Butler were the keys for the Tigers.
Small forwards kicked 14 of Richmond’s 15 goals against GWS.
TARGET
There aren’t many holes in the Giants’ list but they will need to add depth to their ruck stocks.
Shane Mumford turns 32 next year and his ageing body has sustained a seemingly endless run of injuries.
In the new era of the small forward, small defenders will also be highly sort after.
Heath Shaw is starting to struggle under the stress of all the talented small men and needs some support.
DREAMS
The Giants are the team others dream about and plot to pinch their talent.
Hanging on to their players is their biggest challenge.
Everyone but Devon Smith is locked away.
Look for super talented youngsters Tim Taranto, Will Setterfield and Harry Perryman to have breakout seasons in 2018.
COACH
Leon Cameron was given a vote of confidence with a mid-season extension to the end of the 2020 season.
He has steadily built in his first four years in the job, winning seven matches, then 11, 16 and 14 this year.
The challenge is to win through to the Giants’ first Grand Final.
If he gets half the injuries he had this year, the Giants will be a big chance.
WHAT DOES BUCKY SAY?
“There will, at some point, come a time though when the Giants will offload some players to regenerate their list and get more draft picks to replenish with top talent. Tom Scully — even though he is playing great footy — is one who jumps out who has currency that GWS might be willing to let go in order to fill a hole in the list.” – List guru Gary Buckenara.
Originally published as AFL 2017 season review: How Neil Cordy would fix Greater Western Sydney
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