For GIANTS assistant coach Nick Walsh, the fast approaching JLT Community Series will be his first real test in his new role as team defensive coach.

After spending the 2017 season replacing Mark McVeigh as the GIANTS’ backline coach, Walsh has stepped into the void left by Lenny Hayes who took over the vacant midfield coach role.  

“I think it’s just expanded a little bit more in terms of last year it was backline and this year it’s full ground, team defence," he said.

“Obviously Mark McVeigh came back and went straight into the backline coaching role, as was expected, and Leon gave me this opportunity.

“We’re probably going down a similar route as last year, just a little bit more focused on defence because obviously that’s an area we need to get a little better. 

“It was highlighted obviously in the Preliminary Final that we were opened up a little bit and we just need to tighten up in that area, so hopefully we can put our pre-season into practice come game time.”

Walsh also sees the JLT Community Series as a chance for the senior squad members to show off their preseason gains.

While there has been much talk about the young GIANTS, Walsh was quick to pay tribute to the efforts of a few of the familiar faces.

“The likes of Jonny Patton and Rory Lobb, from a physical point of view they’ve taken a step up in terms of what they’re doing on the track and in the gym,” Walsh said.

“They’re just progressing in the gym and that’s just part of getting getting older as well so it sort of ties in nicely.

“Brett Deledio early on was very, very impressive, obviously he’s carrying a bit of a calf injury at the moment but he’s been super around the boys.

“Stevie Johnson’s come in now after his thumb injury and he’s been really good around the group as well.”

The GIANTS coaching staff have been working feverishly to get the playing group ready to for the upcoming season after being confronted with a shortened pre-season. 

A Preliminary Final appearance and the Christmas break created a perfect storm and resulted in the GIANTS’ shortest pre-season yet.

“It was cut by three to four weeks,” Walsh said. 

“One sense it’s great that we’re making Preliminary Finals and stuff like that but we need to pack in more to our pre-season from a coaching point of view. 

“From the players' point of view they’ve adapted really well, they’ve come back in relatively good shape from the time off they’ve had and over the Christmas break  so we hope we’ve set ourselves up well going into the season this year.”