That is the opinion of Giants coach Kevin Sheedy, who used the example of other key forwards Tony Lockett and Barry Hall and the influence they had at cross-town rivals the Sydney Swans.
Sheedy will attend Wednesday night's rugby league State of Origin match between NSW and Queensland, held opposite GWS' home ground at Sydney Olympic Park.
Hot Gospel: Sheedy on when to give players a bake
The veteran coach believes the young Giants should learn all they can during their infancy from rival sporting codes.
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and legendary American football coach Vince Lombardi were two men Sheedy cited on Wednesday when discussing sporting figures he admires.
Sheedy doesn't quite have the recruiting power Ferguson had during his time at the helm of United, but says it is vital clubs recruit players that want to be there.
"We can't just ring up South America and call up Pele or someone like that," Sheedy said.
"(Ferguson) had the influence that many great players from around the world wanted to play for Manchester United.
"That's a very important point when you're recruiting, that they want to play for you.
"When the Swans got Barry Hall and Tony Lockett, they ended up wanting to come. Same as Kurt Tippett.
"So we're hoping that when we get the players we need, they want to come here and help build a great club."
Franklin has been the main name linked with GWS, with the superstar putting contract talks with the Hawks on hold until the end of the year.
Sheedy played a straight bat when asked if the club had reached out to Franklin's management.
"I wouldn't know. How would you know?" he said.
"They hide everything from head coaches these days.
"I didn't see Buddy there (when he attended Tuesday night's Hall of Fame function), but I saw Alastair Clarkson, who never said hello.
"He might be getting a bit annoyed.
"But we need backmen and ruckmen just as much as we need Buddy Franklin to be honest."
Around 80,000 people are tipped to attend game one of the Origin series at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night, the type of crowd the second-year Giants can only dream about.
But Sheedy, who is hoping for a crowd of between 8,000 and 10,000 for the Giants' clash with Geelong at Skoda Stadium this Saturday, expects support to steadily grow.
"That (State of Origin) passion will be transferring over to this ground (Skoda Stadium) over the next five years and it will be a Rumble in the Jungle out here," he said.
"We'll need to play like that. I'll be there tonight with Tony Shepherd our chairman and I'm looking forward to it."
The clash with the Cats will cap off a horror schedule for the Giants, who remain winless through 10 games.
But Sheedy is taking heart from two recent Geelong encounters.
"They are (flying), there's no doubt about that," he said of the Cats.
"But the Suns had them on the ropes for three quarters on the weekend and we were level at half-time at the Cattery last year."
James Dampney is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_JD
