GWS Giants 2024: Jesse Hogan believes at 29 he is in his prime a key forward
He was a teenage sensation at the Demons then a high-price failure at Freo, but now at 29 and at his third club, Jesse Hogan believes he is in his prime. And he’s playing like it too.
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Within seconds of the final siren at ENGIE Stadium on Saturday night, all eyes turned to the Giants’ social media platforms.
The intense build-up to the Opening Round clash was never going to end once the players had stopped. And if their 32-point win over Collingwood wasn’t emphatic enough, the clip from The Inbetweeners TV show rubbed salt into the wounds, especially for the Pies fans who were leaving the ground early.
“They probably had that one ready to go for five weeks, probably praying and hoping,” Jesse Hogan said.
“I think they’ve got free reign. Last year we did it because we don’t have the biggest fan base so we can do it without repercussions, we kind of became likeable from neutrals because we were doing it.
“I don’t think we ever cross the line, it’s always a bit of friendly banter and it’s good for the promotion to be honest. It creates a little extra element, it’s good for us.
“You couldn’t script it much better for us. The way we ended last year was pretty bitter for us. But we said last year that this was the start of our journey, not the end. To get this win, it’s a great way to start our season.”
While the Giants’ media team helped turn the game into a spectacle, it was the players on the field that sent a message to the rest of the competition.
They weren’t short of standout performers. Callum Brown and Brent Daniels both finished with a bag of goals, Tom Green’s midfield numbers were decisive and their backline nullified one of the most dangerous forward lines in the competition.
But it was Jesse Hogan’s influence around the ground that swung the momentum of the match.
Early in the game, Collingwood’s defensive pressure had proved too strong. The Giants’ defenders were struggling to get the ball out of their own defensive 50 and the Pies were rebounding with ease.
But as the game wore on, Hogan knew he had to find a way to get involved. He came up the ground and applied himself in contests near his own halfback flank. His assertiveness brought the Giants to life and he finished his dominant showing with seven marks and four goals.
“His contest down the line was really important for us tonight,” Adam Kingsley said.
“He helped us link some chains together. His ability to contest, to either compete, bring the ball to ground or mark it is really important for us. He played a pivotal role for us.”
It was the ideal start to the season for Hogan who had a career-best year in 2023. He finished with 49 goals and his four majors on Saturday suggests he’s in for a similar haul.
Yet it’s the fact that he is exuding confidence on the field, and finally feels at his peak, that should have most Giants fans excited.
“My body has been good to me the past couple of years and so I was able to get a really solid pre-season,” Hogan said.
“I was also able to build that cohesion with Toby (Greene), Cads (Cadman), Brent Daniels, Callum Brown. We spent the whole pre-season training together without much chopping and changing. The more weeks you get training together as a unit, the more fruits that you can show on game day.
“I’m 29 now so I’m in my prime. Touch is a massive thing as a key forward, the more you can train the better your touch is on game day. So I just had a really good block and a really good run so far, so I won’t get carried away but I’m feeling really good.”
The Giants are understandably refusing to get carried away with their opening-round victory. The manner of their win was decisive however last year’s heartache continues to provide perspective.
But a massive win over the reigning premier to start the year is worth celebrating.
“My mum’s come over from Perth and so have a few mates, but it’ll be tame, it’s pretty late,” Hogan said.
“To play the way we did against such a high-quality side is super. I think everyone wants to start in this manner and there was a bit more of a highlight around it being round zero, only four games and us playing the team that knocked us out last year.
“At the end of the day, it’s four points, we started perfectly. But it’s just one round, we’ll review it and move straight on.”
Originally published as GWS Giants 2024: Jesse Hogan believes at 29 he is in his prime a key forward
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