Gary Buckenara analyses Greater Western Sydney’s list after 2016 season
VICTORIAN clubs are circling a number of GWS players who have been unable to play regular senior footy. What are they worth at the trade table? GARY BUCKENARA ANALYSES THE GIANTS LIST
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GWS has the most balanced and exciting list of all the AFL clubs.
Yes, they’ve had some fantastic concessions as a start-up team but you’ve got to nail those opportunities and the club has done a fantastic job.
There is great depth in most areas and a good balance of height — both forward and back — while also paying particular attention to skill and leg speed in their recruiting.
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The Giants are also reaping the rewards of having a strong area — the Riverina — handed to them as part of their academy with players coming through of high quality. At least now they’re having to pay market value to get those guys onto their list but they wouldn’t mind that because they’re getting access to these guys at 13, 14 or 15 years of age and inducting them into their system.
From there they can already teach them how they want them to play and have a huge say over how they develop. Then these guys come into the AFL system more than prepared for the jump into elite-level football. It gives them a major headstart.
GWS has also been very smart in banking a heap of top picks, while also bringing in experienced players to fill certain needs that has provided them with a huge boost. I’m thinking of guys like Steve Johnson, Heath Shaw, Phil Davis, Ryan Griffen and Joel Patfull, although the former Lion has announced his retirement.
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE HAWKS
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE TIGERS
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE BLUES
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE PIES
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE CATS
The thing is, GWS is always going to have at least one or two first-round draft picks. Rival clubs are targeting highly-rated players on the list that just can’t get games because the list is overflowing with talent but they have to pay top dollar to satisfy the Giants in trades.
Look at Cam McCarthy — he had one good season, requested a trade and Fremantle offered two first-round picks for him. Yes the Giants declined and it backfired given he sat out the whole 2016 season but now he’s been traded to upgrade from pick No.7 — which GWS got from Collingwood as part of the Adam Treloar trade (see what I mean) — to pick No.3.
Their list will always be replenished with top-tier talent. I can see this cycle continuing for the next 5-6 years.
The Giants won’t only be developing a list of high-end star players with a great balance to the list, they’ll continually upgrade it with young talent either via their academy or the draft.
It’s fantastic for GWS but a major worry for other clubs.
This GWS team will be scary good next year and for the foreseeable future. They will be hard to stop — a top four side for the years to come and will take some beating.
I can see them building a dynasty like Hawthorn. And they might follow a similar path in identifying holes in the list and targeting players from other clubs to fill it to keep them at the top.
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE DOCKERS
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE EAGLES
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE DEMONS
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE SAINTS
That will also be critical in player retention. As we’ve seen with Hawthorn, not many players have left because they want to be part of success and that will be important for the Giants in building that culture because they do have quite a few players on their list who aren’t from New South Wales.
If they do that then they can say to someone who might be a bit homesick: ‘Look what we’ve built here, there’s going to be more success and there’s no guarantee you’ll get that where you’re going.’ Playing in finals, Grand Finals and winning premierships is an enormous selling point.
Players that are expressing desire to leave are the ones who aren’t getting senior opportunities because the team is so strong — and that’s despite the fact they were first-round picks, top 10 in some cases.
But they still command either a first or second-round pick in a trade. And therein lies the problem for other clubs.
Rory Lobb re-signed despite murmurs he wanted to head home to Western Australia and I’ve got no doubt the success about to arrive at GWS played a part. It’s a huge coup for the Giants — he is so important to this team. He is the modern-day ruckman. He’s tall, athletic, has great skill and can take a contested mark like not many others can. Lobb also has great courage.
The midfield is stacked with talent from Dylan Shiel to Stephen Coniglio to Tom Scully to Callan Ward to Josh Kelly to Jacob Hopper to Lachie Whitfield to Ryan Griffen. Wow. Plus Steve Johnson, Toby Greene, Devon Smith and even Heath Shaw can push up into the midfield rotation.
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE BOMBERS
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE LIONS
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE SUNS
LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKENARA ON THE POWER
The forward line is dynamic with Jeremy Cameron as the athletic forward, Jon Patton as the big guy and Lobb as the resting ruckman who takes big contested marks. Then there’s Johnson, Smith and Greene at their feet.
The defence is strong too and well lead by co-captain Davis and Adam Tomlinson really came on in the second half of the season, while Nick Haynes has been solid and Shaw, Zac Williams and Nathan Wilson provide so much run. There is depth too in the form of Matt Buntine and Adam Kennedy in terms of players with senior experience.
Of the guys who haven’t had much or any exposure to senior footy, I really like Jarrod Pickett. He’s exciting and with the amount of talent he has, he could be anything. The only issue is he has been linked to a trade to Carlton.
Harrison Himmelberg is a promising young tall forward who can move around the ground very well for his size, Matthew Flynn is a developing ruck/forward who is mobile for his size and has footy smarts.
Matthew Kennedy played a few games this year and showed glimpses of what he’s capable of.
Jack Steele is an inside midfielder who’s been traded to St Kilda for a future second-round pick, which is spot on. He would have even been worth a second-round pick in this draft, which is a strong one. The only thing is the Saints traded their second-round pick this year to Collingwood, last year. Steele would slot in at most clubs it’s just unfortunate there is so much talent in the midfield at GWS that he couldn’t get a look in.
Will Hoskin-Elliott, a former No.4 pick, has been linked to a move but this time to Collingwood. He’s also had injury issues and wasn’t able to force his way back into the side this year. He’d be worth a back-end first-round to early second-round pick. He’s very talented and still developing to a certain degree.
Caleb Marchbank (a former No.6 pick) has requested to move to Carlton and will command a first-round selection in a trade despite the fact he has had injury troubles and hasn’t played much senior footy. He is a very talented player that would appeal to many AFL clubs. The Blues’ pick No.5 is probably a bit high for him in this draft but if GWS can package him up with Jarrod Pickett — who is also interested in heading to the Blues — then pick No.5 plus a third-round pick would be a good deal.
If James Stewart, who has been linked to Carlton, also wants to head there then it would be pick No.5 and a second-rounder for Marchbank, Pickett and Stewart.
Paul Ahern is a very talented forward/midfielder who has been traded to North Melbourne for pick 69. Fitness has always been the question mark on him and his injury issues don’t help that, but I had him down as worth a pick in the 30-40 range so that’s a good deal for the Roos.
WHAT THEY NEED
As I’ve said the Giants’ list is the most balanced in the competition and there is plenty of depth in most positions with both A and B-grade players. They have about 30-35 players who can play at any one time. The ruck might be one area to bolster given Shane Mumford is 30 and is just a human battering ram. Lobb is there and so is Dawson Simpson as back-up but he’s under the pump, while a young kid by the named of Matthew Flynn is developing and Tom Downie has been there long enough. A mature-aged ruckman as back-up could be handy.
WHO’S UNDER THE PUMP?
Simpson is under the pump after joining last year. Jake Barrett is an inside midfielder and they already have plenty of those types who are in front of him in the pecking order, so he’ll need to show what he can do.
Patrick McKenna, Tom Downie and Adam Kennedy haven’t been getting regular games and need to show more at NEAFL level then grab their opportunities when they present.
WHO SHOULD GO
The Giants will need to cut at least two extra players this year to trim the size of its senior list to 40 — the same as every other club. Patfull has announced his retirement so that’s one change, while Simpson is probably one who I’d let go and Downie, Aidan Corr and Tim Mohr as well.
CRYSTAL BALL
The Giants are going to be a powerhouse. How successful they are in terms of premierships, only time will tell but on paper they’ve got the best list and it’s young so will be very strong for a number of years to come. Luck always plays a part but there is plenty of depth, which will allow them to cover injuries. GWS will be top four next year and will maintain that level for many years. They can win the premiership in 2017.
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