Last season was a fresh start for Georgia Garnett.

Taken late in the 2019 draft, Garnett was made to bide her time. Watching from the sidelines through the tumultuous 2020 season, she began her AFLW career as a key defender the following year, working alongside experienced heads like Tanya Hetherington and Pepa Randall.

But her passion for footy started to fall away despite her clear talent and impact on her side.

"I probably wasn't putting my best foot forward, and yeah, I wasn't too happy," Garnett told womens.afl.

Working closely with new coach Cam Bernasconi, the pair looked at how Garnett could get back to enjoying the game.

"We kind of just tossed out ways that I'd start to love footy again and make things a bit different."

A shift into attack was one of those ideas and was just what the 21-year-old needed. As a result, Garnett was one of the GIANTS' best players last season, leading the club for marks, contested marks and goal assists, while kicking a career-best six goals of her own.

The change was, in truth, largely born out of a close relationship with Bernasconi and the effect he has on his players.

"He is not only an awesome coach, but just an awesome bloke," Garnett said.

"I think he's just made such a genuine effort to create relationships with all players, all staff. He's a mate, and I think it helps that he's a mate. It makes you want to work harder because, yes, he's your coach, but when he tells you to do something, you really do it because you really respect him and his opinion."

Into her fourth year at the club, Garnett is now part of a new era at GWS. With the youngest list in the competition – a far cry from the GIANTS of 2021 and before – and a fresh game plan, things feel new and exciting.

"It's quite refreshing. It's exciting. Because we have such a young group, and also new coaching staff, new gameplan, it's different, it's fun," Garnett said.

"Everyone's got to learn the new gameplan. Even those who have been there for a few years now, they're still learning how we want to play for the next couple of years. So, it's exciting football, it's fun to train, and we're all learning."

Part of the change at the club has also been about bringing in talent from other clubs, including former No.1 draft pick Isabel Huntington from the Western Bulldogs.

"We've been trying to get her out for a while," Garnett laughed.

Huntington, who arrived last year but has spent her time at the GIANTS rehabilitating an ACL injury, is a close friend of Garnett's and the pair look likely to spend time together in attack. A handy proposition given the retirement of the club's leading goalkicker in Cora Staunton.

"She's been in training for a fair bit, trying to get right, but I'm so excited. I cannot wait. I cannot wait till she plays the first game. Cannot wait for her to kick her first goal so we can celebrate. I'm just so excited."

And now armed with a fresh perspective on footy, and plenty of close mates at the club, Georgia Garnett is primed to help lead the GIANTS into a new era.