STEPHEN Coniglio will split his time between the midfield and forward as Greater Western Sydney ponders how to manage another three off-contract first-round onballers this year.
The Giants' centre bounce depth will reach new heights in 2020 with a full complement to pick from in round one, minus former co-captain Callan Ward who hasn't played since round four last year.
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Given the rise of Tim Taranto, improvement of Jacob Hopper and return to full fitness of Josh Kelly, the Giants will explore their new skipper more forward of centre.
Coniglio was used predominantly as a midfielder in his 15 games last season but kicked 24 goals in 2018 due to a stacked Giants midfield that included Ward and Dylan Shiel (now Essendon).
"Coniglio's more your 50-50 or 60-40 (midfield-forward) because when he plays forward, we love what we see with him," coach Leon Cameron told AFL.com.au.
"He kicks goals, he's competitive, he wins one-on-ones and he's dangerous. His speed and his point of difference when he goes through the midfield is first class as well."
Upon his return, Ward will mix his time as an inside and outside midfielder, while Toby Greene will return mostly forward despite playing as an onballer for parts of 2019.
Taranto and tagger Matt de Boer will also be trialled for larger periods in attack during the Marsh Community Series.
With the addition of Academy bull Tom Green via last year's NAB AFL Draft, plus first-rounders Jye Caldwell, Jackson Hately and Xavier O'Hallaron, Cameron will be flushed for options.
That first-round trio join Richmond's Riley Collier-Dawkins as the only players from the top-26 of the 2018 NAB AFL Draft yet to recommit beyond their initial two-year contracts.
Given the Giants' history – they've lost at least two midfielders every year since 2013 – other clubs will begin to circle should Caldwell (Victoria), Hately (SA) and the uncapped O'Hallaron (Victoria) be starved of opportunity.
"Where our strong point might be the midfield, Richmond's might be the small forwards, or there could be a club a with a lot of running half-backs," Cameron said.
"If you've got talent on your list, there's going to be a jam somewhere.
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"Having O'Hallaron, Caldwell, Hateley and Green over the last two drafts, one or two are going to push the current crop and there will be a spot for one of them.
"Then you explore other positions when they're ready. You don't just explore other positions when there's not an opportunity because you want to give them the opportunity because if they can go past the person in front of them, well that's competitiveness, that's what you want.
"Jackson Hateley can be an inside mid, but he's done equally as much work as an outside winger.
"Xavier O'Hallaron has done the same and Caldwell we've just kept inside because we don't think it's ready to explore yet. Green we'll just explore inside because I want him to show us what he's got."
Caldwell received high praise before he'd played an AFL game from former co-captain Phil Davis as the player he'd offer a 10-year contract to first at the Giants.
Harry Perryman – who has been slated to play a big role on a wing this season – is another out-of-contract Giant along with big fish Jeremy Cameron and Zac Williams.
GIANTS' MIDFIELD DEPARTURES
2019: Aiden Bonar (North Melbourne), Adam Tomlinson (Melbourne)
2018: Tom Scully (Hawthorn), Will Setterfield (Carlton), Dylan Shiel (Essendon)
2017: Matthew Kennedy (Carlton), Devon Smith (Essendon)
2016: Paul Ahern (North Melbourne), Will Hoskin-Elliott (Collingwood), Rhys Palmer (Carlton), Jarrod Pickett (Carlton), Jack Steele (St Kilda)
2015: Tom Bugg (Melbourne), Liam Sumner (Carlton), Jacob Townsend (Richmond), Adam Treloar (Collingwood)
2014: Jono O'Rourke (Hawthorn), Mark Whiley (Carlton)
2013: Taylor Adams (Collingwood), Dom Tyson (Melbourne)
