Forward thinking in Giants’ maiden flag bid

GWS’S assault on the 2020 AFL premiership will not be built around a theme of redemption, according to captain Stephen Coniglio.

The Giants’ new skipper admitted last year’s 89-point grand final hammering from Richmond still sits in his teammates’ guts.

But that pain won’t be the main driving factor behind the expansion club’s next push for a maiden flag.

“Although it hurts and you remember things like that, the season is so long and the competition is so even that you need to find different ways to motivate ourselves,” Coniglio said.

“We’ve found that out when we’ve been to preliminary finals before (in 2016 and 2017).

“You can only use that at certain times of the year to really dig up old wounds and to really motivate you to go that extra mile.

“We need to keep getting better as individuals and collectively, so there’s nothing really about redemption for us.”

Coniglio welcomed rival club captains’ tip that the Giants were more likely than any other side to reach the grand final this year, as revealed in the AFL’s annual poll of onfield leaders yesterday.

The tough and skilful midfielder said Richmond were still the side to beat in his eyes, but is convinced the Giants’ best football will be as good as any of their rivals’ this season.

Coniglio, who has taken over the captaincy reins from foundation skippers Phil Davis and Callan Ward, has been buoyed by a strong mix of youth and experience at GWS.

The 26-year-old pointed to young players Tom Green, Lachie

Ash, Jye Caldwell and Jackson Hately as the up-andcomers who will complement the Giants’ established stars.

“They can mix it with guys like myself, Jeremy (Cameron), Toby (Greene) and Lachie Whitfield, and then you’ve got guys like Heath Shaw and Sam Jacobs in that older bracket,” Coniglio said. “It’s a really nice blend and we’ve just got to make sure we do everything we can to get it right.”