{"id":72008,"date":"2025-03-05T09:22:31","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T23:22:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/?p=72008"},"modified":"2026-07-03T10:30:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T00:30:04","slug":"can-gws-be-a-big-big-deal-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/2025\/03\/can-gws-be-a-big-big-deal-in-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Can GWS be a Big Big Deal in 2025?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Mac from It\u2019s Always Sunny said it best: Science is a liar sometimes.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"It&#039;s Always Sunny In Philadelphia | Season 8 Ep. 10: Mac Evolution Highlight | FXX\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GiJXALBX3KM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Science was a liar last year about GWS.<\/p>\n<p>I saw the most talent rich team playing the most interesting footy in the AFL.<\/p>\n<p>They defended like they had the best defenders stationing Sam Taylor, Connor Idun, and Jack Buckley on islands so everyone else could run in a way that would make Coach Carter proud.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Coach Carter first match   |  COACH CARTER (2005)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/63EgBW973ng?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>When they moved the ball, their tsunami was scary and when they got the ball inside 50 they were as dangerous as anyone with Hogan, Greene, and Daniels.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"tl\" dir=\"ltr\">The Orange Tsunami \ud83c\udf0a <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GscXLgypZw\">pic.twitter.com\/GscXLgypZw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GWSGIANTS\/status\/1760528016814608544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 22, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Despite the way that they ran, this wasn\u2019t a pure outside team. They were strong at the coalface with beasts like Tom Green leading the charge.<\/p>\n<p>On a personnel level, they had their stars around the ground while their high half-forward factory unearthed new players like Darcy Jones and refashioned older players like Toby Bedford into new roles.<\/p>\n<p>I saw a contender.<\/p>\n<p>Were they?<\/p>\n<p>The premiership metrics said that GWS was the tenth-best team last year.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83c\udfc6AFL Premiership Metrics after round 24<\/p>\n<p>Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn were the only teams to finish in the &quot;premiership window&quot;, with Brisbane and Sydney just outside.<\/p>\n<p>Details for the last 12 premiers&#39; performance against these metrics in the following post. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/b9l7aXdOBE\">pic.twitter.com\/b9l7aXdOBE<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Andrew Whelan (@andrew_whelan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/andrew_whelan\/status\/1829459422370025624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 30, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Despite having the best forward line in football, GWS was seventh in points.<\/p>\n<p>Despite having three of the 12 best defenders, GWS was 9th in opposition points.<\/p>\n<p>For 2025, which is it?<\/p>\n<p>Is it the team that I saw play the best footy and have the best players?<\/p>\n<p>Or are the numbers right and this team was mediocre?<\/p>\n<p>I feel like I did when I watched Kendall Roy rap. Despite everything, I thought it was good.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Succession - Kendall Rapping\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6dUDQTc-9kM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Take the scoring. Despite GWS being seventh for points, their best was elite. Scoring 100 or more nine times.<\/p>\n<p>The issue was their fluctuations.<\/p>\n<p>They scored over 100 in five of their first seven games and 98 in a sixth, winning six.<\/p>\n<p>Then they dropped off badly in the middle of the year, winning just two of their next eight and scoring over 80 twice.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Essendon v GWS Giants Highlights | Round 9, 2024 | AFL\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sKRdmvx19eA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Then they got better again, scoring over 100 three times in their last seven games and winning all of them to close the year before a meaningless loss to the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n<p>Then they lost two classic finals.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sydney Swans v GWS Giants Highlights | Qualifying Final, 2024 | AFL\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/j3JucP89JMY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The scoring was microcosmic of the whole year. It was a season of \u201cjust when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The 2024 Giants were like when you date the girl that\u2019s up and down. She\u2019s great, then she slashes your tyre, then she buys you a new car and on and on it goes until she sleeps with someone else\u2026twice.<\/p>\n<p>The finals should have been the last straw, but now I\u2019m here making Stu from The Hangover excuses and I\u2019m in again.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Alan and Old Man The Hangover\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NNlslIEAIEg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Despite the fluctuations, if you dig a bit you can see two truths about GWS that are reasons for optimism in 2025:<br \/>\n1. Their good players are good, and<br \/>\n2. Their inconsistency can be cured with an emphasis tweak.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s start with the first.<\/p>\n<p>GWS was second at retaining the ball when they kicked it inside 50 and third in goals per inside 50.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">AFL Season 2025: GWS Giants <br \/>&#8211; 2nd for retention going inside 50 with some of the best smalls in the comp (Jesse Hogan\u2019s contested work also helps..) <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wH85xgJfVR\">pic.twitter.com\/wH85xgJfVR<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; James Ives (@JamesIves17) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JamesIves17\/status\/1892450446301659425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 20, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>While some of that is that they went inside 50 rarely for an elite team &#8211; 11th \u2013 they still have elite ball retention players.<\/p>\n<p>They have the two best high half forwards in football either kicking it inside 50 or on the receiving end of the ball in Greene and Daniels.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;If anyone can, Toby Greene can!&quot; \ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n<p>The Giants are back in the lead! <\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udcfa Watch <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLCatsGiants?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLCatsGiants<\/a> LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/08T7U7jQDD\">https:\/\/t.co\/08T7U7jQDD<\/a><br \/>\u270d\ufe0f BLOG <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/yimZ53F5Gm\">https:\/\/t.co\/yimZ53F5Gm<\/a><br \/>\ud83d\udd22 MATCH CENTRE <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GeNb19oCO0\">https:\/\/t.co\/GeNb19oCO0<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Jma6mbWk1V\">pic.twitter.com\/Jma6mbWk1V<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FOXFOOTY\/status\/1794294465449836681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 25, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Then they have the best mark inside 50 player in Hogan as well as elite kicks like Coniglio and Kelly.<\/p>\n<p>Defensively the picture is the same. While they were mediocre in terms of scoring defence, they were elite in the rate stats sitting second for the fewest goals allowed per inside 50.<\/p>\n<p>This is particularly impressive given they gave up the third most inside 50s.<\/p>\n<p>They need an emphasis tweak.<\/p>\n<p>The Giants are efficient but were too reliant on efficiency. Having to make the most of every opportunity while making sure your opponent can\u2019t is a hard way to live.<\/p>\n<p>If they structurally prioritise territory and field position, their players are so good that the rate stats shouldn\u2019t drop with more volume.<\/p>\n<p>More volume should just make them more reliable.<\/p>\n<p>If I were Kingsley, I\u2019d take a page from my old mentor Damien Hardwick\u2019s book and start coaching for territory.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Watch Adam Kingsley&#39;s incredible post-match in full \ud83d\udcfd <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/y1l9OEP7AD\">pic.twitter.com\/y1l9OEP7AD<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GWSGIANTS\/status\/1820754186746880343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 6, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Even with Gold Coast, Hardwick\u2019s pressure inside 50 and high defensive line meant that the Suns were sixth in inside 50 differential at +3.<\/p>\n<p>GWS was 14th at -4.<\/p>\n<p>In 2023 they about broke even at +1.2, ninth in footy. They can do it.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond that, in 2023 GWS top six in scores from forward half and from turnover.<\/p>\n<p>In 2024, they were top-6 in neither.<\/p>\n<p>Obviously, Kingsley doesn\u2019t care about territory as much Hardwick or Vladimir Putin do, but he has to care more than he did in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>If they can improve their field-position game, science won\u2019t need to lie about their contendership.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><b><i>Like what you read from our hard-hitting columnist?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><b><i>Follow\u00a0<\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/guywholikesspo1\"><b><i>@Guywholikessport<\/i><\/b><\/a><b><i>\u00a0on Twitter or check out his\u00a0<\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/guywholikessport.wixsite.com\/guywholikessport\"><b><i>FULL BLOG HERE\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mac from It\u2019s Always Sunny said it best: Science is a liar sometimes. Science was a liar last year about GWS. I saw the most talent rich team playing the most interesting footy in the AFL. They defended like they had the best defenders stationing Sam Taylor, Connor Idun, and Jack Buckley on islands so everyone else could run in a way that would make Coach Carter proud. When they moved the ball, their tsunami was scary and when they got the ball inside 50 they were as dangerous as anyone with Hogan, Greene, and Daniels. The Orange Tsunami \ud83c\udf0a&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":72009,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8298,344],"tags":[29,9778,3311,1329,9992,953,8260,426,3094,9993],"hub_post_cat":[],"class_list":["post-72008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australian-rules","category-guywholikessport","category-sports","tag-afl","tag-afl-2025","tag-aussie-rules","tag-australian-rules","tag-giants","tag-greater-western-sydney","tag-guywholikessport","tag-gws-giants","tag-opinion","tag-orange-team"],"acf":{"md_tip_date":null,"md_tip_date_end":null,"md_market_url":"","tip_date":"05\/03\/2025","event_country":"Australia"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72008"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72008\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87796,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72008\/revisions\/87796"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72008"},{"taxonomy":"hub_post_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hub_post_cat?post=72008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}