As we get closer to the 2021 AFL season, GIANTS Media is breaking down each area of the ground and assessing how the squad is placed heading into the next chapter. 

Ins: 

Tanner Bruhn – Bruhn was the club’s first pick in the 2020 Draft and comes to the club from Geelong. While many read into Bruhn’s shocked response to being drafted on the night, the 18-year-old has impressed everyone in his short time in Western Sydney. With a fully fit midfield, we could see Bruhn play as a forward early on in his time at the GIANTS. 

Ryan Angwin – The lightly framed 18-year-old joined the GIANTS as the 18th pick in the draft and is settling well into Sydney, having relocated from Foster in regional Victoria. The left footer has silky skills and a high footy IQ. He could take some time before coming into the mix as he’ll need to fill out to compete with the bigger opposition bodies.  

Outs: 

Jackson Hately - Hately opted to return to South Australia at the end of the 2020 season. When his preferred club, the Crows, and the GIANTS couldn’t reach a suitable trade, the 20-year-old entered the pre-season draft which saw him eventually reach his second club. 

Jye Caldwell - After playing 11 games across his first two seasons at the GIANTS and having a lucrative offer on the table, the midfielder saw his future at Essendon and was traded in the dying stages of the trade period.   

Tom Sheridan – Only managed two games at the GIANTS in his two seasons after a distinguished career at Fremantle. Expected to do big things in the fashion and business world in the next phase of his life. 

Unchanged: 

Jack Buckley – After banging the door down with strong practice match form, Buckley was rewarded with his debut in round 17. The 23-year-old has put on more weight over the off-season and is a flexible option due to his size and running ability. 

Stephen Coniglio – After a disappointing season in his first year as club captain, Coniglio has not missed a beat in his 10th pre-season. Expect Coniglio to return to the form which saw him gather 17 Brownlow Medal votes across 15 games in 2019. Is due to play his 150th game in round one. 

Matt de Boer – The 200-game veteran has been one of the club’s success stories since crossing from Fremantle ahead of the 2017 season. Has become one of the game’s premier taggers and expected to once again give several high-profile midfielders nightmares throughout 2021. 

Tom Green – Is reaping the benefits of his second pre-season and looks set to build on his debut season which saw him play his first game in round one, be recognised as a Rising Star nominee and play six games. Expect the Canberra product to see more game time in 2021 with the benefits of another pre-season helping his running ability. 

Jacob Hopper - Big things are expected of Hopper as he enters his sixth season in the AFL. He often goes under the radar externally but is highly rated internally. After playing every game in 2020 and finishing equal fourth in the Sheedy Medal, he will be looking to take his game to another level. 

Josh Kelly - Has been moving extremely well during the pre-season and was the standout performer in the 2km time trial on the first day back at training. Finished the 2020 season at equal fourth in the Sheedy Medal despite missing three games and will be central to the GIANTS’ rise back up the ladder this season. 

Xavier O’Halloran - Broke through for a mid-season debut and played two AFL games. Having re-committed his future to the GIANTS in October, O’Halloran was forced to quarantine earlier in January due to COVID protocols but has returned to training in very good form. 

Tim Taranto - After taking out the Sheedy Medal in the GIANTS’ Grand Final season of 2019, Taranto’s 2020 got off to a disastrous start as he underwent a shoulder reconstruction in March. With a full pre-season behind him, the 23-year-old is set to return to his best in 2021. 

Callan Ward - Often the forgotten man of the GIANTS, the former Captain is another midfielder eyeing off a big 2021, having only played eight games across the past two years. At his best, Ward is one of the hardest players in the competition and has the ability to break the lines with his running and penetrating kick. 

Lachie Whitfield - The smooth-moving Whitfield was one of the rare highlights for the GIANTS in 2020 and became the first player to win two Kevin Sheedy Medals when he drew with Nick Haynes for the honour. Having shown the ability to play across both the half-back line and the wing, GIANTS fans will no doubt be looking forward to the popular GIANT continuing to grow in 2021. 

Adam Kennedy – Has made his name as a defender through the majority of his career but has been spending more time on the wing in recent years. Only managed six games in 2020 due to injury and form and is an experienced hand that could provide plenty of run and carry on the wing in 2021. 

Nick Shipley - Spent time working as a half-back flanker in the practice games throughout 2020 but is spending the pre-season training as a wingman. The Campbelltown product will be desperate to return to the AFL side in 2021, having not played at the top level since since 2018. 

State of play: Role players Jackson Hately and Jye Caldwell have found new homes but there is a huge amount of upside possible from the midfield group in 2021, with much of the group below their best last season. A midfield quartet of Coniglio, Kelly, Hopper and Taranto is up there with the best in the competition. Add in a maturing Tom Green, the experience of Callan Ward and Matt de Boer and the outside run and ball use of Lachie Whitfield and things are looking bright for the GIANTS. 

More of the same please: It’s hard to go past Lachie Whitfield after he delivered once again in 2020. The toughest decision facing Leon Cameron and his coaching staff is; where does Whitfield play? He played the early parts of his career on the wing, by necessity went to half back and became an All Australian and has also started at half forward at times. With the departure of Zac Williams, more focus is likely to come on to Whitfield, who’s already renowned as one of the best playmakers in the competition. 

Don’t forget about me: Very little has gone right for Callan Ward in the last two years. He only spent 10 minutes on field in 2019 before being cruelled by a season-ending knee injury and 2020 saw him have a stop/start campaign due to knee and finger issues. No listed GIANT has played more games for the club, which is an incredible record considering him time on the sidelines in recent years. A fit and firing Ward will go a long way to seeing the GIANTS climb back into the finals in 2021. 

Time to unleash: He’s only been here a matter of weeks, but Tanner Bruhn appears to be the young GIANT most likely to force his way into the team early in the season. An injury interrupted 2019 followed by a 2020 season impacted by COVID-19 has seen Bruhn play very little football in the past two years. With a big pre-season behind him, he could become a handy inclusion in 2021. 

Crystal ball time: Every year in the GIANTS’ history has seen a new player added to the honour board by winning their first Kevin Sheedy Medal. This trend will continue in 2021 with Stephen Coniglio securing his first club championship as well as the plaudits of the wider footy community for leading the GIANTS deep into September, despite speculation that this group’s best was behind them.