GWS Giants treating opponents as ‘faceless men’ to keep focus from week to week

WHETHER it has faced Hawthorn or the crisis-riddled Gold Coast, GWS has been ruthless so far this season thanks to one simple mantra.

Matt Buntine kicks as he is tackled by Drew Petrie.

As far as GWS Giants defender Matt Buntine is concerned, Western Bulldogs superstar Jake Stringer is just another “faceless man’’.

It’s a slogan that might not have gotten Kevin Rudd and the Australian Labor Party very far, but “faceless opponents” is the mantra that’s propelled the Giants’ into premiership contenders.

Whether they’ve faced champions Hawthorn or the crisis-riddled Gold Coast, GWS have been just as ruthless so far this season.

This Sunday another litmus test looms against the hard-nosed Bulldogs at Spotless Stadium, with a secure place in the AFL top four going on the line.

Buntine has the task of going head-to-head with 192cm forward Stringer, widely considered one of the toughest match-up in the AFL.

Combining football with his degree in high school teaching, Buntine says the mathematics is simple when it comes to his task against Stringer and the physically uncompromising Bulldogs.

Matt Buntine wrestles with Kieran Lovell.

“Faceless opponent,” he said.

“(Heath) Shaw likes to mention that. We really want a faceless opponent and play the same way each week. Whether that’s the Bulldogs this week or Gold Coast last week, we want to play our Giants’ brand of football.

“We seemed to ebb and flow in terms of our performances in our previous years. I think maturity now is a big thing.

“Opponents should not dictate the way we rock up and play.”

Speed, skill, natural talent and the exuberance of youth have defined the Giants’ roster in the eyes of many, but Buntine insists the GWS want a different reputation to follow them around the league.

As they prepare for the fifth-placed Bulldogs, the third-placed Giants have declared they want to be recognised as being just as brutal.

“Tough is a word the Giants would really love to hear next to our name instead of talented and those words,” Buntine said.

“If you ask any of the players here, contested ball, tough, selfless, ruthless — those values are the ones that echo around the group.

“They might have a bit of glitz and glamour outside (looking in), but it overshadows the boys getting their head over the ball and tackling hard.”

Buntine is as courageous and tough as they come, but insists the job of handling Stringer will be a combined defensive effort from the likes of Tim Mohr, Nick Haynes and Joel Patfull.

It goes without saying though, that the explosive Stringer’s name will be high up on the blackboard this week at training.

“The Bulldogs are flying and the way they play their football is very, very hard and we know that’s a big challenge,” Buntine said.

“Stringer is one of many that’s kicked goals and has played really well for them.

“The best thing about being in the back six is we’re actually pretty flexible. I’m sure I’ll spend a bit of time on him but so too could Haynesy, Joel and Mohry.

“We’ll certainly do our homework on him and pay him really good respect because on the weekend he was really impressive.

“Throughout the last 10 years contested possessions are a big dictator in winning games, so it’s something we really wanted to drive home over pre-season.

“We want to go into games … compete and win.”

Originally published as GWS Giants treating opponents as ‘faceless men’ to keep focus from week to week