GREATER Western Sydney coach Adam Kingsley is hopeful Jake Stringer is the missing piece to the Giants' puzzle as they push for an elusive premiership in 2025.
Stringer moved from Essendon to GWS on the final day of last month's Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period on a two-year contract.
Appearing on AFL.com.au's Gettable Draft Countdown on Tuesday morning, Kingsley said he was clear on what he expected Stringer to add to the Giants' mix in 2025 and beyond.
"Goals," Kingsley said.
"It's always nice. Who (doesn't) love goals? He's a wonderful player, high talent, one that I think can really help our team.
"He'll play a variety of roles for us, whether it's forward, midfield, centre bounce. We see him being able to do a lot of that stuff.
"Clearly he's got some things he needs to work on and we think we can help him do that and if he's able to tick those things off, then I think he becomes a really important player for us and hopefully can help us get closer to that premiership.
Kingsley said he and Stringer had spoken earnestly before the 30-year-old put pen to paper with the Giants.
"We had a conversation a little while before the call was made, probably a week, and I was pretty strong with my expectations around "if you are to come to the club, this is what I expect"," he said.
"He certainly had some opinions about what he could offer us, which was great to hear, and he'll start with all those young boys. I think he drives up in a few days' time, he'll settle in before Christmas and then bring his family up post-Christmas.
"He's pretty keen to get stuck in and we're pretty keen to have him."
The Giants lost Harry Perryman, Isaac Cumming and Nick Haynes to free agency, along with James Peatling to a trade, but Kingsley believes they have adequate depth to step up and again push for a premiership next year.
Aside from Stringer's addition, he was hopeful untried 2023 first round draftees Phoenix Gothard and James Leake could play a role if they had uninterrupted pre-seasons.
GWS will start their next campaign with five players serving suspensions and others having paid fines for their conduct at an end of season function.
"That was clearly really disappointing," Kingsley said.
"Some poor decision-making from some of our players and some inaction from our leaders.
"It all happened very quicky and by the time it had unfolded the guys realised it was definitely the wrong thing we'd done.
"Everyone makes mistakes, we don't like it when it happens, but we need to learn from them and make sure it doesn't happen again and keep improving as people, as well as footballers."
