Leon Cameron may face another scrappy season in the bottom half the ladder, but learning how to win games is more important than the bigger picture for now.
A big shot in the arm will be the acquisition of former Western Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen, joining former teammate and current co-captain Callan Ward. All of a sudden, there’s a midfield coming together that may last for years to come. With Ward and Griffen leading the lines, the likes of Adam Treloar, Dylan Shiel, Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio and Toby Greene are free to further learn their roles within team structures and continue to fulfil the promise of their immense talents.
The midfield is important for a range of reasons, both creatively and defensively. Just like the promising Gold Coast Suns, here is where the revolution begins. With this vast array of talent on offer, breaking even in midfield in most games is a very achievable prospect. The youth brigade will continue to have inconsistent patches, but 12+ goal floggings are no longer acceptable under any circumstances.
Regardless of all this, the real stars of the show reside higher up the ground. Despite losing Tom Boyd and Jonathan Patton being fouled by recurring knee injuries, there’s still plenty to work with.
Despite murmurs that Jeremy Cameron may have been overrated, it’s quite impossible to dismiss his array of talents. Incredible leap, great hands, smooth in traffic, great picking the ball up off the deck and a goal sense most coaches could only dream their forwards had. The genius of Cameron is not that he has the ability to do difficult things, but he is able to make them look so easy.
Granted his last season was average as he was shuffled around the ground and suffered issues with an ear-drum injury, but taking him back to where he belongs should benefit him and the Giants in 2015.
Players to watch:
Will Hoskin-Elliot
It’s the flexibility of the Victorian that gives him great potential. Drafted as a winger, he’s able to do everything from starting the rebound from defence or finding the goals from half-forward. Perhaps Leon Cameron should consider extending his stay in the forward line after a few excellent performances there in 2014.
Adam Tomlinson
In the absence of Jon Patton, Tomlinson is bound to be deployed forward as another tall option. Teased by money elsewhere, Tomlinson stayed on at GWS and this should benefit him and the club as there is an air of unease around Patton’s future output. A talented and mobile player, a big 2015 is required to lift the Giants out of the lower reaches of the ladder.
Tomas Bugg
After an outstanding first season with the club, Bugg had been held back by competition and poor form until he broke back into the team last year. Started down back and then pushed into midfield, Bugg has the promise to become an excellent clubman for the Giants.
Key games
Round 2 v Melbourne: A fixture which the Giants won last year in horrific conditions. Could start the season 2-0 if they click early.
Round 9 v Western Bulldogs: Griffen and Boyd grudge match. There is a fair bit of feeling in this one after the events of the off-season and there is no doubt this fixture is now a genuine 50/50 contest.
Round 21 v Sydney: Considering the Swans are not adverse to resting players close to finals, there will likely be a decent opportunity to snatch a late season win if Sydney don’t take this fixture seriously.
Finishing position – 14th