IT WASN'T quite a spray, but midfield flyer Finn Callaghan says a stern reading of the riot act from coach Adam Kingsley was a key factor in Greater Western Sydney's win over Melbourne on Saturday night.
Callaghan's 36-disposal display, in the absence of midfield stars Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio, was critical in the Giants' fourth straight victory which was sparked by Kingsley's message as they went into the quarter-time break trailing by 27 points.
"'Kingers' was pretty stern with us. It was almost as if we hadn't even turned up and he just said that, he brought us in and told us to lift our contest and intensity around the ball," Callaghan told AFL.com.au.
"It was perfect, exactly what we needed at the time. The group is really good at responding even though we knew ourselves we had to pick it up."
"It sparked us into action. The second and third quarter around the ball we were able to pick up our momentum, I got my running up and got to contests and put myself in position to impact the game, probably to the best level I've been able to all year for those two quarters," he added.
As he was tipped to do in pre-season, Callaghan has elevated his overall output in what is now his third season in the AFL and that was desperately needed against the Demons without Kelly and Coniglio in the engine room.
"When they're not playing everyone needs to lift collectively around the ball. Tom (Green) goes to work every week and we know what we're going to get from him. It was up to myself and James Peatling, who I thought was absolutely brilliant on the weekend, to step up and really impose ourselves on the game and help our ball movement," he said.
It was the kind of performance from the 2021 No.3 draft pick that would have the Giants very eager to lock him down to a long-term deal amid undoubted interest from elsewhere.
Callaghan's contract expires at the end of 2025 and he says an extension will be agreed to in good time.
"My manager and the club are speaking all the time. I'm just really enjoying my footy here at the moment. When it gets to the end of the year we'll have the conversation, I've still got 18 months to run on my contract," he said.
"I just want to play good football, I'm loving it here in Sydney, the club's been brilliant as well so that'll come when the time is right."
For now, the 21-year-old is enjoying riding the wave of another Giants resurgence that is starting to strike a similar tone to their remarkable run to the preliminary final last year.
Callaghan, however, says there's still a way to go for a repeat of the 2023 exploits.
"I still feel like there are levels we can get to with our football, I don't think we're at our absolute best just yet. There are certainly parts we need to keep improving but the confidence and belief is lifting, we're putting together some decent passages of footy. We just need to do that for longer periods," he said.
Of particular encouragement though is their recent MCG form, having won twice there in the past three weeks.
For a side that has been bullish about its premiership aspirations, it's a reassuring trend.
"I always loved playing at the MCG. I think the bigger ground helps me and the team with our run and carry, we're a pretty fit side. The space really helps us. We only play there a couple times a year so as a team we really set ourselves to play well there, we know that's where grand finals are won," Callaghan said.
The Giants go from the MCG to Manuka Oval this week, for an encounter against Hawthorn that will draw as much attention as any other across the weekend.
Having won a remarkable 11 of their past 14 games, the Hawks have caught the attention of the entire competition and that will lead to a likely full house in the nation's capital on Sunday afternoon.
"Two relatively young teams who have big ambitions. It's going to be an absolutely cracking game. I like the way the Hawks play their football, they're exciting, they're full of energy. It's going to be a big test," he said.
"Really looking forward to getting to Canberra as well. It's always a great surface there, there'll be a big crowd, I think it'll be a sold-out game. It's going to be a huge battle and one we're really looking forward to."
