GWS
Coach – Adam Kingsley
2024 –
Points For – 7th
Points Against – 9th
Top 5 Best and Fairest
- Jesse Hogan
=2. Lachie Whitfield
=2. Tom Green - Connor Idun
- Brett Daniels
2024 Rising Star Noms
Harvey Thomas (Rnd 14)
Darcy Jones (Rnd 17)
Ins – Cody Anderson, The Package, Josaia Delana, Oliver Hannaford, Harry Oliver, Jack Ough, Logan Smith
Outs – Isaac Cumming, Cooper Hamilton, Nick Haynes, Adam Kennedy, James Peatling, Harry Perryman, Braydon Preuss
My Prediction
That is quite a list of outs, and not a huge amount of ins. Their list didn’t strike me as particularly deep and it will be interesting to see how they go this year. It almost looks like the constant talk about Stringer is to distract us from all the players that left last year. Still, they made top four last year and it feels there is a lot of people predicting big things again this year.
The backline looks ok on paper and I don’t think the issues down back relate to them but rather a midfield that doesn’t always run both ways. Taylor, Idun and Himmelberg are a very handy main back three and having Whitfield and Ash running off half back gives them attacking options.
The midfield is full of talent. Josh Kelly’s output was down last year but we would expect that to improve, Coniglio was in and out but certainly better than previous years. Callaghan is very handy and then you have Tom Green and Ward who bring hardness at the contest. Depth outside of that is questionable and will be interesting to see if Stringer and Greene are able to do some serious midfield minutes.
The forward line reads well. Hogan is playing career football, Cadman looks a player even if number one pick felt like a reach. Stringer will give them another option and take some of the focus off Greene who alongside Jones and Daniels give them small options. Bedford and Riccardi look like being more depth players this year or coming in off the bench. All in all it is a good forward line.
It felt like they found a ruck in Briggs but he isn’t without flaws. Undersized and his tap work can be hit and miss, he is handy around the ground and compliments their game style. Kingsley served his apprenticeship and then some. He did a good job last year and needs to improve again this year with a lesser list.
GWS will feel like they missed a prime opportunity last year and the list changes this year make things very interesting. There is something about them I just don’t buy. They feel like they have been flaky with moments of brilliance forever. They could pull off a 2016 Bulldogs and get on a run at the right time, they could also miss the finals entirely. I don’t think they are a top four team. I think 7-9 is about the mark for them.