GWS mid-season review: Keiren Briggs’ form creates ruck contract logjam

While all eyes are on Harry Himmelberg’s future, another contract scenario is emerging at GWS which could determine whether three big men join the ruck merry-go-round.

The Giants are in the middle of the pack at the halfway point of the season. Picture: Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

The GWS Giants head into the bye on the back of their best victory of the season against Fremantle.

We run our eye over their year so far, and what’s to come for the team from Western Sydney.

Trade review

In:

Toby Bedford (Melbourne)

Picks 1, 15, 18, 19, 31 and 57

Future 1st (Richmond)

Out:

Bobby Hill (Collingwood)

Jacob Hopper (Richmond)

Tim Taranto (Richmond)

Tanner Bruhn (Geelong)

Picks 3, 21, 40, 44, 63

Future 2nd

Tim Taranto has taken his game to another level since leaving the Giants. Picture: Michael Klein

It was always going to be a chaotic trade period for the Giants, but it had a big impact on their strongest team. The departure of Hill, Hopper, Taranto and Bruhn forced a big readjustment, especially Taranto who has continued his rise as one of the AFL’s best midfielders.

CAP SPACE: HOW HIMMELBERG CALLS SHAPES GWS FUTURE

It was an eye to the future with their trades, bringing in the coveted No.1 pick to secure Aaron Cadman. However, Toby Bedford was the one name coming in from Melbourne and has slowly made an impact. He debuted for the Giants in round seven against the Swans, playing every match since. The 23-year-old has impressed with his tackle pressure and is generating more score involvements as the weeks go on.

List management continues to be the big issue for the Giants with so many high draft picks in previous years. While they’ll be lamenting just how well Taranto is playing at Richmond, the strong hand they were able to take into the draft will give them plenty of confidence in the direction they’re heading.

They’ve at the very least come out even on the trades involving Bruhn, Hill and Hopper, with none of the trio going on to have incredible seasons so far.

Toby Bedford is coming into his own with more opportunity at the Giants. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Draft review:

Pick #1 – Aaron Cadman

Pick #16 – Harry Rowston

Pick #21 – Darcy Jones

Pick #22 – Max Gruzewski

Pick #34 – Toby McMullin

Category B rookies – Nick Madden and Jason Gillbee

There is plenty to like about the latest crop of Giants draftees. Picture: Phil Hillyard

All eyes are on Aaron Cadman at the Giants and the No.1 draft pick has had an underwhelming start to life in the AFL. The key forward has yet to kick more than one goal in a game and has struggled to get involved in matches, with a season-high of seven disposals against Collingwood. The Giants aren’t worried by his slow start with Adam Kingsley happy to give the 18-year-old all the time he needs to build into life in the AFL. He needs a game where a few more marks stick and he kicks a few goals to get his confidence up.

Harry Rowston is the only other Giants’ draftee to have played in 2023. The midfielder was given a long stretch in the side across the opening months and finished with 14 touches against Carlton in round three. However, the Academy product has been out of the team more recently, only returning for their win against the Kangaroos as the medical sub. He has looked promising in the VFL, averaging just shy of 24 touches a game.

Max Gruzewski has also shown some impressive signs in the VFL, kicking 21 goals in 11 matches. They’ll have to wait until next season to get a glimpse of Darcy Jones after he ruptured his ACL in his first match in the VFL.

The Giants are confident that Cadman will prosper with time. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Pass mark

For the Giants, 2023 was always going to be a year of unknowns. Would the undeniable talent in their midfield group balance out the departures of four key players? And which players would step up to take the pressure off captain Toby Greene going forward?

Sitting just one win outside the eight going into the bye gets a tick for the Giants, but finals footy would still be a bonus for this group. If they can get at least four more wins this season, it’s probably a strong year – but if they play like they did against Fremantle anything is possible.

However, getting more games into the likes of Tom Green and Finn Callaghan was always a key goal, and they’ve continued to excel at AFL level.

Who is out of contract?

The big story out of the Giants surrounds the future of Harry Himmelberg. An elite and versatile player, the 27-year-old has taken his game to a new level, particularly since being played in defence.

The Giants are doing everything they can to keep him at the club, and as a restricted free agent they will have a few chances to convince him to stay. But he will undoubtedly attract offers from rival teams.

Two of the Giants’ inaugural captains Callan Ward and Phil Davis are both off-contract at the end of 2023. Davis has yet to play this year after being picked up via the rookie list, while Ward is still proving to be an important role player.

Lachie Ash continues to build on his performances, averaging 24 disposals a game, with the former No.4 draft pick remaining patient in the hope of a new deal for 2024 and beyond.

With so much of their cap tied up in a small group of high-profile players, several players could be forced to make way.

They have three talls who can play in the ruck in Braydon Preuss, Lachlan Keeffe and Matthew Flynn all coming off-contract. With the rise of Kieren Briggs, it will be a balancing act to decide which of the trio Kingsley will want to keep around.

Callum Brown and Jake Riccardi were two of the Giants’ best against the Dockers as they look to secure new deals.

Xavier O’Halloran has had one of his most consistent years at GWS, while Daniel Lloyd will be looking to extend his stay after eight years at the club.

Kieren Briggs’ form has put GWS’ other ruckmen on notice.

Potential trade moves

At its core, the Giants’ side is relatively balanced. They’ve got three elite ball-winning midfielders in Green, Kelly and Coniglio, while their full-strength defence when Whitfield, Ash, Perryman and Haynes are all playing is strong.

With Davis coming towards the end of his career, looking for a key defender could be prioritised, particularly if they aren’t able to hold on to Himmelberg.

The Giants also have two first-round picks in this year’s draft, which could put them in a position to trade up to No.1 again. The focus will be on re-signing some key players, but it gives them the option to be aggressive while looking for trades.

Leek Aleer might need to look elsewhere for regular senior opportunities.

As long as the club is happy to be patient with Aaron Cadman, then there will be no need for them to go searching for another key forward.

Haynes has had one of his quieter seasons and with so much money tied up in his contract could be someone they look to use in any potential deals.

After four matches last season, Leek Aleer has yet to appear in the AFL in 2023. There could be plenty of value in the former No.15 draft pick.

Wade Derksen is another player who has yet to appear for the Giants after being picked up in last year’s mid-season draft. The 22-year-old from WA has 16 goals in the past five weeks in the VFL and could look to force a move.

Champion Data green and red flags

Green flag - Red-hot form

In the past month, the Giants have become one of the best attacking teams in the competition.

Since round 10, GWS are first in the AFL for most points from the forward half. While they’re also in the top four for most points scored inside-50 differential and forward-half intercepts.

The Giants have scored 100+ points in each of the last three weeks, while the 81 points they scored in their win at GMHBA Stadium is the most points by an away side in Geelong since Melbourne in 2021.

Red flag - Leaky defence

Unfortunately, it has been their defence letting them down for the most part in 2023.

Decimated by various injuries, the Giants have struggled to consistently repel opposition attacks.

Their ratio for opposition scores per inside 50, 48 per cent, is the third-highest in the AFL.

They were much improved in the demolition of the Dockers, allowing just 11 scores from 44 inside-50s (25 per cent).

GWS Giants’ Best 22

B: I. Cumming, S. Taylor, C. Idun

HB: L. Whitfield, H. Himmelberg, N. Haynes

C: J. Kelly, H. Perryman, F. Callaghan

HF: B. Daniels, J. Riccardi, T. Greene

F: X. O’Halloran, J. Hogan, T. Bedford

FOL: K. Briggs, T. Green, S. Coniglio

IC: L. Ash, C. Brown, C. Ward, B. Preuss

In: Riccardi, O’Halloran, Briggs, Brown

Out: Lloyd, Peatling, Cadman, Aleer

A few names are interchangeable as the Giants wait for players to return from injury. Daniel Lloyd will still see plenty of game time, but the strong form of Xavier O’Halloran will make it a hard decision for Adam Kingsley as to who they should keep in the side.

Briggs has emerged as the dominant ruckman but would welcome the return of Braydon Preuss to make a formidable combination.

Aaron Cadman drops out of the best side for now but will benefit from more game time at the VFL level.

Originally published as GWS mid-season review: Keiren Briggs’ form creates ruck contract logjam