Callan Ward’s three-quarter time speech after tearing ACL inspired GWS to upset win over Geelong
Callan Ward might have suffered a season-ending knee injury against Geelong in a devastating personal blow but he still managed to inspire his side to one of the best wins in its history. GWS defender Nick Haynes reveals how he did it.
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Callan Ward’s final act of the season has been hailed the inspiration behind GWS pulling off one of the biggest wins in its AFL history.
Ward has been ruled out for the rest of the season after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the epic triumph over Geelong, but it’s been revealed he addressed teammates with an epic speech at three-quarter time.
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Foundation Giant Nick Haynes, who was outstanding in the clutch final moments of the club’s first ever win at the notorious Cattery, says Ward’s selfless call to arms lifted the orange army to another level.
“He had every right to be just upset and worrying about himself. But for him to put that aside and try and get the boys up for a win. I know I found an extra gear in that last quarter certainly, and I bet a lot of the other boys would say the same,” said Haynes.
“Wardy leads by actions, he’s not much of a wordsman, but when he does speak, all the boys listen.
“He was just saying how much he cared about us boys and just the camaraderie we have as a club and emphasising how close we are as a group — just that tightness and bond.
“He said he might be injured, but he’s going to be OK because of how close our group is.
“He reinforced we’re all in this together and that’s been our big driver over the last couple of years.”
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Haynes said the stunning upset was in the top echelon of Giants wins since their inception in 2012 — ranking it alongside the 2014 Round 1 maiden triumph over rivals Sydney, the 2016 finals belting of the Swans and last year’s first-ever win away to Adelaide which broke a four-game losing streak at a time when the Giants looked almost out of finals contention.
To beat a competition heavyweight away from home, without a key leader like Ward, gives the Giants confidence about their premiership credentials.
“The maturity of the group is at a really exceptional level at the moment,” said Haynes.
“We’ve got these young players like (Tim) Taranto and (Jacob) Hopper in really good form and playing some really good footy.
“They’ve stepped into that inside mid role and those two especially are really developing into elite midfielders.
“It was a whole group performance (in Geelong) and we’re not relying on just one person to get us up and about.
“Cal is obviously going to be very sorely missed because he’s our leader, our captain and a great player, but I think we’ve got players in that midfield that will be able to cover him.”
Giants coach Leon Cameron is likely to recruit Ward as an unofficial member of his coaching staff.
Ward has never sat in a coaches box before, scared of what he might hear, but his tactical expertise and status as a mentor around the club will be seen as invaluable.
“He will obviously stay tight to the group I reckon and his knowledge around footballers is exceptional as well,” said Haynes.
“He’s been a captain for eight years so we’re going to use him as much as we can and whether that’s from the coaches’ box or lifting players individually, I’m sure he’ll dabble in a lot of areas and he’ll be a massive impact for the rest of the year.”
Originally published as Callan Ward’s three-quarter time speech after tearing ACL inspired GWS to upset win over Geelong
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