GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Snapshot: With one AFL season under their belt, the Giants returned from the break and have attacked the pre-season with some gusto. Players such as Steve Coniglio and Toby Greene feel much more comfortable in the system and have enjoyed welcoming the influx of players to the club following the drafting period. Jonathon Patton, the 2011 No.1 NAB AFL Draft pick who had no pre-season last year as he recovered from knee surgery, has been bounding about as he participates fully this year. He is desperate to show what he can really do in 2013. He has been joined by another first overall draft pick in Lachie Whitfield, who has been adjusting to life as a Giant along with his new teammates. The players are also on a strict program to gradually add weight to their slender frames as they make the small steps towards emerging as a competitive AFL unit.
Break: The Giants broke on December 21 and return on January 7.
Draftee watch: Whitfield and the rest of the 2012 draft class have settled well into life with the Giants. They are all living at Breakfast Point and getting to know their new teammates and western Sydney itself. James Stewart, the son of former Collingwood player Craig Stewart and the 27th pick in the draft, is having a procedure on his back on Friday and will be in rehab following the Christmas break. But he is expected to be fit for round one of the AFL season.
Burning: The club's surprise packet from its inaugural AFL season was undoubtedly Greene, who produced a stunning debut year in the GWS midfield. Judging on the pre-season, he is determined to exceed those standards in 2013. The teenager has been turning heads on the training track, particularly with his running, which has taken a significant step up. Patton is also relishing his first full pre-season following knee surgery 12 months ago. Gerald Ugle, who managed just one senior appearance last season, has also been showing some greater maturity.
Medical room: Dom Tyson has been the significant casualty of the pre-season, undergoing surgery on Tuesday this week after rupturing his posterior cruciate ligament. He will be sidelined for around five months. Dylan Shiel is due back in full training shortly after Christmas as he tries to get on top of his ongoing foot problems. Will Hoskin-Elliott, who had an excellent second half of last season, has six weeks left in rehab following hip surgery, while Josh Growden has about one month left in recovery from the same ailment. Finally, Irishman Setanta O'hAilpin is ahead of schedule from his knee reconstruction and has two to three weeks of rehabilitation remaining after the Christmas break.
What they say: "It's great to have these boys on board and to see where the club's going. We went for some decent height and goal-to-goal line structure. They will all most likely play and I'd be disappointed if they didn't. Some of them need to get ready for Essendon down in Canberra (in the NAB Cup). We'll see which guys train their backsides off and see if they can get in the team. It's all right to be drafted early, but we want to see what we've got." – GWS coach Kevin Sheedy on the club's latest batch of draft picks.
NAB Cup schedule:
Round one: v Sydney Swans and Carlton, Blacktown International Sportspark, Sunday, February 24
Round two: v Brisbane Lions, Wagga, Saturday, March 2
Round three: v Essendon, Manuka Oval, Friday, March 8
