The Giants among men

WHEN Callan Ward and Phil Davis were dropped into the Giants’ captaincy roles in 2012 they were thrown into the deep end of the AFL piranha pool.

Ward had played just 60 games for the Western Bulldogs and Davis 18 for the Adelaide Crows. Not surprisingly they floundered with their inexperienced lineups winning just three games in their first two seasons.

But the wheel has turned and they now sit alongside Joel Selwood (Geelong) and Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood) as the longest serving captains in the league.

When they lead the Giants out on to the MCG tonight they will do as the equals of any skippers in the competition.

“Looking back I definitely couldn’t picture us being where we are now,” Ward said. “It took a few years down the track before I realised I really wanted the captaincy. The dream has always been to play in big finals and the No.1 thing is leaders have to stand up in big games.

“That’s what Phil and I have tried to do over the years.”

Like a lot of great partnerships the Giants co-captains have their differences. Davis is comfortable addressing the playing group and the media and Ward is less so, a man of deeds not words.

“I’ve always said a lot of Phil’s strengths are my weaknesses but to be honest my strengths are his and he doesn’t have any weaknesses,” Ward joked.

“He has always been good at addressing the boys which I struggled with in my early years. Now I’m a lot more confident and I’ve learned from Phil.”