As Israel Folau gears up for his first full-length AFL match, Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy has a simple message for Folau's teammates: Kick it to him.

Folau registered only three handballs in the Giants' opening NAB Cup clashes, which featured tight losses to Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs.

And some critics were sharpening their knives after Folau's modest start, but Sheedy lamented his side's poor delivery into the forward line.

"He should have kicked three goals on the weekend. Some of our players didn't even see him when he was free," Sheedy said.

"We've looked at the games on the camera and I think to myself - we've got the ball, we kick it into our forward line and there's Israel Folau (presenting) twice.

"He's five to seven metres apart by himself. He got away from his opponent."

Sheedy suggested the former rugby league international would have kicked three or four goals had he been playing for reigning premier Geelong.

"Because their players are very experienced, most of them have got 100, 150 or 200 games. They know what the deal is," he said.

"So if you find a free person in the forward line, you kick it to them if they're in a pretty good position. We didn't. But that'll come through, eventually."

GWS will take on Hawthorn in Launceston on Saturday in their most serious challenge to date.

And Folau is likely to have a first-hand look at a host of classy footballers, none more significant than Hawks superstar Lance Franklin - if he's not rested.

Franklin, who was moved into the midfield two weeks ago, was one of the players Folau studied last year in an effort to improve his own game.

And Sheedy said Folau would keep a close eye on Franklin, if the Hawks play him in Tasmania.

"He'll be out there amongst it, and he'll see how athletic (Franklin is) and what his endurance is like."