‘How Giants veteran Callan Ward turned back the clock to inspire GWS comeback win over Carlton

The Giants are all about speed in transition and relentless pressure off the ball. But against the Blues it was one of their most experienced heads who stood tall when it mattered the most.

The Giants are known at their best as a team with relentless energy and damaging speed, but against Carlton on Saturday night, it was a vintage performance from inaugural captain Callan Ward that helped spark their incredible come-from-behind victory.

The 34-year-old rolled back the years with some commanding play on the wing. Ward finished with 30 disposals, two goals, 12 contested possessions and 434 metres gained, and was easily one of the Giants’ best against the second-placed Blues.

Having made a name for himself as an on-ball gun throughout most of his career, Adam Kingsley made the decision earlier this season to move Ward onto the flank. Initially, it wasn’t a role the veteran was expecting to thrive in, but it has given him a new lease of life in a team that finally produced a game they can be proud of.

“I’m really enjoying it, to be honest,” Ward said.

Callan Ward celebrates one of two goals against the Blues, the third-straight week he’s kicked two goals in a game. Picture: Brett Costello

“I didn’t think I’d enjoy playing wing as much as I am.

“It’s just a role I’m really learning, and there’s so many patterns that I’m watching, I’m studying different players around the competition to see what they do. Trying to improve my game.

“It’s a different role to what I’ve played my whole career. So a lot more running, a lot more outside and I guess getting a bit more creative with the ball, which I’m really enjoying.”

Kingsley added: “That’s how we want our wings to play. “He’s highly intelligent and a smart player, he’s played 300 games so his experience supports him in that.

“When he gets it, typically something good happens for us. He’s able to get back, support his backs but also get forward and finish his work.”

Ward’s quality as a tenacious competitor is part of the reason why Kingsley knew he would adapt to quickly to the role. Winning the ball back in dangerous areas is vital to the way the Giants play, so why not give one of their most experienced players the responsibility to lead that charge?

Kingsley’s side had to adapt quickly after Carlton’s incredible start. But rather than panicking at being on the wrong end of a 39-point deficit, they slowly built their way into the game and found the confidence in their attack that had been so desperately missing.

Hogan led the way with five goals, but it was a lethal performance across the board from the Giants’ forwards. Picture: Brett Costello

“We haven’t been playing our best footy over the past month now,” Ward said.

“Tonight after quarter time, we really played our way, which is good defence, really hard at the opposition. We stepped in with our pressure and our offence was dynamite.

“(At quarter time) it was disappointment because once that’s happened over the past three months, we’ve just let the game slide. We’ve lost one quarter, and we’ve won the other quarters but lost the game. So it’s hard to come back to that.

“The message was the same as what it was at the start of the game. We just had to ramp it up. We had to get back to playing our way, which we haven’t done for a while now.

“But we played our way for longer, and I thought in the second quarter, we really sent the message to them. That was a statement made.”

Ward was hardly alone in his starring hand. Kieren Briggs had “one of his best games” according to Kingsley, while youngsters Darcy Jones and Joe Fonti were electric at every opportunity.

The Giants knew they needed to take a big scalp, and they finally took one. Picture: Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Jesse Hogan was also vital in leading the forward line to hit the scoreboard, inspiring livewire Brent Daniels to a phenomenal match with 29 disposals and 10 score involvements.

The club’s character and play style were severely questioned in the lead-up to the match, with their finals hopes fading. The response was emphatic, and now the Giants’ surge to September can truly begin.

“I thought our speed around the ball and our intent to step in and pressure was probably the best it’s been all year,” Ward said.

“It’s a good example of what we are like when we play our way.

“It’s important for our footy club and team to get that confidence back because I think we’ve probably lost a little bit over the last couple of months.

“The momentum we gain from that and the confidence we gain knowing that we can play that way against a really good team in Carlton is exciting for us and hopefully we can just get better from here.”

Originally published as ‘How Giants veteran Callan Ward turned back the clock to inspire GWS comeback win over Carlton