GIANTS VFL coach Wayne Cripps says this year’s VFL campaign was a fruitful one, pointing to the fast-tracked development of many of the club’s youngsters as one of many positives. 

The GIANTS’ 2024 VFL campaign ended over the weekend as the club finished with an 8-10 record to fall two games short of a spot in the Wildcard Round.

While they won’t be a part of this year’s finals series, Cripps was firm on the success of this year’s VFL campaign.

“We’ve had guys who have developed and then debuted [in the AFL], we’ve had guys who have changed positions, we’ve had experienced guys who have stayed ready and got back to AFL level, and really that’s what it’s all about,” Cripps said.

“We choose to take the path of being really strong in making sure that player development and their pathway is preferred over wins and that’s always been our main focus.”  

AFL OPPORTUNITIES

Cripps said the improvement in a host of the GIANTS’ young guns and the opportunities presented were major positives out of the VFL season.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to see some first and second-year players come in and really learn their craft and get an AFL opportunity,” he said.

“Guys like Darcy Jones and Joe Fonti have been working away and learning system and working on their craft [in the VFL] and have got their [AFL] opportunity which is exactly what the VFL program is for.

“Then guys like Max [Gruzewski], who has been with us for two years now, we’ve just tried to give him as much coaching and opportunity as possible in the VFL to get him AFL-ready and he’s come in and shown he can have an impact at that level.

“Then you’ve got guys like Conor Stone who gets an opportunity [in the VFL] to go from a forward to a back and he’s had some really good games and opportunities to get reps in as a back [in the VFL] and then he’s now getting opportunities at AFL level.

“Then you’ve got the likes of Lachlan Keeffe and these experienced guys who we want to keep ready so that when their opportunity comes, they’re able to grab it with both hands.

“So ultimately that’s what the VFL is about. Wins and losses are nice but ultimately it’s more about seeing the development of our players and making sure we have a long list of players who are AFL-ready and can come in and impact at that level.”

 YOUNG TALENT TIME 

Cripps said the development of three other young AFL-listed GIANTS was another huge positive from this year’s VFL program, pointing to the progression of recent draftees James Leake and Phoenix Gothard, as well as young ruck Nick Madden.

“‘Leakey’ has been really impressive for a guy who has come off a pretty limited pre-season. To come in and consistently have 25 to 30 touches each week is a great effort. On the weekend he got tagged as a first-year player who is just six or seven games in and that will be a great learning for him. The whole coaching group has been super impressed with what he’s shown and we’re really excited to see what he can produce with a big pre-season next year, and hopefully we see him playing AFL football.

“Phoenix is another one with an interrupted run [with injury] but once again he had great impact. Playing as a small forward in your first year can be really tough to play consistent footy but he was able to do that from a pressure point of view and also with what he was able to create. He learnt our system pretty quickly and was able to play it strongly and get some real reward for effort there.

“Then ‘Madsy’ [Madden] before his injury was really starting to put together a strong body of work. He took big strides this year. From last year - having minimal impact from a possession and mark point of view - to this year consistently getting up around the 20-possession mark and lots of contested marks, contested possessions, lots of hit-outs and clearances, he had real impact on the game.

“We know with ruckman they get better with more experience and years and he’s definitely trending in the right direction.”

STARRING VETERAN

GIANTS veteran Nick Haynes was another to garner high praise from Cripps after several standout performances in the VFL this year.

“With guys like ‘Haynesy,’ who has played over 200 games of AFL football, it’s not easy to come back and play VFL but you hope they come back with a certain attitude and ‘Haynesy’ definitely provided that. His leadership and the energy and attitude he brought to the group was first class.

“Then on top of that he played really strong football – he gave us great defence with his ability to win the ball back, and then his ability to help us with offense was also first class.

“You’ re really fortunate to have guys like 'Haynesy.’ I know he wants to be playing AFL football, but you couldn’t be asking for a better character and leader.”

RESILIENCE AND MATURITY

Cripps was also quick to recognise the maturity of several GIANTS who spent time in both the AFL and VFL side this year, with the likes of Aaron Cadman, Xavier O’Halloran, James Peatling, and Conor Stone all in and out of both sides across the 2024 season.

“It’s great maturity for those guys. You look at a guy like “JP’ [Peatling], he got dropped last year and we probably struggled to get the best out of him there for a little while, but this year, both times he got dropped he came back [to VFL] and had really strong performances which is a great sign in how far he’s come in the last 12 months. He’s really invested in how he prepares for football, and he has got that confidence in himself and we are seeing that at AFL level.

“It’s the same with ‘X’ [O’Halloran]. He comes back and there’s no sulking, it’s about getting to work, and he gets the focus areas from his coaches and he ticks those boxes every time he comes back. You wish you could have more of those guys who just come in and lead the way.”

THE RETURN OF A FAVOURITE SON

The return of inaugural GIANT Adam Kennedy after more than 400 days on the sidelines with an ACL injury was another highlight of the VFL campaign for Cripps.

“Similar to ‘Haynesy,’ you are just lucky to have these guys. ‘Kenners’ [Kennedy] has played over 150 games of AFL and once again he just leads the way. When the game is on the line or things are getting tough, you look over and it’s‘Kenners’ who is trying to lead the way and swing momentum back our way. His leadership and his ability to get around everyone is first class. He just loves playing footy and being at the club.”

With both the GIANTS and the Swans locked into the upcoming AFL finals series, both club’s VFL programs will look to schedule regular scrimmages while a part of the AFL finals series to keep their AFL-listed players prepared for any possible AFL call up.