Former St Kilda and North Melbourne midfielder Nick Dal Santo has urged Greater Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron to get creative, after Jon Patton’s suspected ACL injury.
The Giants’ forward line has been dealt with a brutal personnel blow, with Patton’s major injury compounding the suspension of star Jeremy Cameron.
While acknowledging the tough task Cameron has in front of him, Dal Santo says it’s on the GWS coach to turn a negative situation into a positive.
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“I think this gives Leon Cameron the license to just flip the magnets,” he told SEN Breakfast.
“Just make something up. Just be something different.
“We saw the Tigers did it last year through almost desperation, that they didn’t have two key forwards and the traditional forward line set-up, so they brought in all these small forwards and they got the pressure game.
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“The Giants are renowned for not having that pressure game, particularly in their front half.
“I’d love to see them just do something completely different, I don’t think they deserve to be criticised for it.
“Just mix it up, maybe put some of those gun on ballers, put one or two forward, isolate them and make it a two-on-two.”
The three-time All-Australian also believes the Giants still have a tall target in their attacking zone.
“They’ve got Harry Himmelberg who can play forward,” Dal Santo said.
“Yes, he is a young kid and definitely hasn’t gotten to the heights or opportunities that Patton and Cameron has, but at least you have a focal point.
“You got someone there you can kick it to.”
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