GWS - Judgement Time | Thebigtip

Gubby Allan, Kevin Sheedy and Mark Williams, all the big names you would want on your side when trying to put an AFL team together that will A; be competitive from round one 2012, and B; win a premiership by 2015/2016 but, are they on the right track?

It is hard to sit back and criticise a man like Kevin Sheedy who has been such an extraordinary innovator and creator in our great game of AFL, but has he bitten off more that he can chew at the Giants? Sheedy and Allan have recruited a mix of young talented players who are yet to prove themselves as genuine superstars yet they are being paid like they are honest Brownlow contenders. As we know Sheedy has always been out of the box introducing new tactics and finding new ways to develop players that hold key talents, he also has an inept ability to get the best of those who may fall away without his belief and guidence.

In his role with Greater Western Sydney this has been no different with his latest revolution of bringing back the “playing coach”. No longer has the playing coach been restricted to country football, it is back in the AFL. The Giants have recruited Luke Power and James McDonald as senior playing assistants to help protect and develop their younger players.

Luke Power was harshly dealt with at the Brisbane Lions by long term friend and former team mate Michael Voss. It has become clear Power still has the desire and believes he has the ability to help a club towards success, but how serviceable will he be to GWS, what support will he have? James McDonald has also been plucked from the scrap heap to help build this club from the ground up. James McDonald would be a great acquisition as an assistant coach as he is a terrific leader and a very knowledgeable football person but honestly what impact will he have at GWS at 35.

Power and McDonald both have hard seasoned bodies but are they really the players that will be able to handle a belting weak in weak out to look after the kids. With the work load and age of these players GWS will be lucky to get 15 games out of them combined while keeping two young players or second chance hopefuls out of a job.

The highly anticipated recruiting drive has been a terrible let down. A club building from the ground up needs a genuine superstar to gain supporters and create a culture within the club, while supporting their development and taking the game on. GWS has struggled to gain this player of the calibre yet.

Why They Have Gone Wrong

Recruits: Tom Scully, Rhy Palmer, Callan Ward and Phil Davis.

Tom Scully

Genuine talent “TALENT” not superstar or dominator, talent. This 19 yr old kid is getting paid more than Gary Ablett next year to play for the Giants. A good young player that has yet to prove he can handle a tag or become the number midfielder at his club. Don’t get me wrong could go on to be the next Judd but for the money they are paying him “could” is a big risk when they could have recruited a 25/26 yr old readymade star.

Rhys Palmer

A deserved winner of the NAB rising star award in 2008 things have only gone down-hill for the disappointing Palmer. Palmer has struggled with his disposal and consistency after his first season at the Dockers and has been dropped from the team on numerous occasions. Has shown he has some serious ability but a risky recruitment, would have definitely been looking elsewhere.

Callan Ward

For me this has been the best recruitment for the Giants, the bulldogs really didn’t want Ward to go but the offer was too great. Ward is a great player in a strong side but will he handle the pressure of being touted as one of the “guns” of the competition next year? Again the boy has talent but still isn’t in the ilk of Gary Ablett or Dane Swan.

Phil Davis

What I have seen of Phil Davis I have liked, again shows real promise but had support while playing at Adelaide Ben Rutten and Nathan Bock who paved the way for this bloke to get an easy run. Let’s not sit back and say yes he shows promise, he will be good. That just doesn’t cut it, will be beat Lance Franklin, Nick Riewoldt, Jonathon Brown and Travis Cloke one on one? Because he is the number one recruited backman, in my opinion... get ready for the Giants to concede some big scores.

It is easy for one to sit back and criticise the decisions clubs make but here are some players who I believe should have been strongly targeted by GWS.

Where They Should Head

Majak Daw

Has attracted a huge amount of interest and has shown plenty of talent, a player who supporters will pay to watch. This bloke hasn’t played an AFL game but everyone knows who he is and has a lot of an upside. Just the player who could sell “Greater Western Sydney” to the public.

Brendon Goddard

The ultimate swing man, can do any job you ask of him and is a proven superstar. Let’s be honest who wouldn’t want to leave the mess that is St. Kilda at the moment. A realistic player that would look great in a Giants Guernsey.

Or

Nick Dal Santo

Nick Dal Sano is a pure class act, the sort of player that can be relied on to give fantastic service to those around him through his impeccable delivery of the football. Out and out recognised star who would fit in nicely at the Giants supporting and developing the younger players in the team. Once again St. Kilda are an easier target than other clubs due to the dismay they are currently in.

Dustin Martin

Young and a GUN, this is a player that could go on to captain the club in the future. A proven ball winner fantastic in close at winning contested ball and has proven a strong and handy forward. Goal kicking midfielders are what the AFL is all about, so valuable within the team.

Chris Dawes

It has come to light that the Gold Coast Suns main problem this year is a strong seasoned key position forward. It is important that GWS find someone who can kick goals because at the end of the day getting the score on the board is what will win you games of football.

James Frawley

Every club needs a key backman and one of the best up and coming proven young backman is James Frawley. All the talk has been around Scully but going off the last two years Jack Trengove has shown just as much if not more than Scully. Frawley has proven his is a solid defender controlling some of the gun forwards in the competition. Frawley would clearly be a better option than Phil Davis who is yet to show he can cut it at the top level.

Marc Murphy

A gun player who was in the favourites for the brownlow, carlton best and fairest winner and class act. Is terrific with his skills and can win the hard ball, proven midfielder who is still young enough to be around to carry the Giants to their next flag, possibly as their captain.

I do not like to doubt the work of Gubby Allan and Kevin Sheedy but I believe there are going to be a lot of dark times ahead for the Greater Western Sydney Giants. I sincerely hope the youth of the Giants develop in to some super guns, but as we know from the likes of Richard Tambling, fantastic junior age form doesn’t always convert to AFL success. The draft is still a lottery.