GWS coach Adam Kingsley has revealed he is attempting to emulate the game styles of Richmond and Collingwood in 2023.
Kingsley spent four years as an assistant coach under Damien Hardwick at the Tigers where he was involved in the 2019 and 2020 premierships.
During that time, they played a fairly high-octane brand with fast ball movement, high contest numbers and maniacal pressure.
Armed with that knowledge from Punt Road and also having watched the way the Magpies played last year under Craig McRae - another ex-Tiger assistant - Kingsley is keen to implement a similar style in western Sydney.
“It will look a lot like what Richmond have done, like what Collingwood have played,” he said on SEN Breakfast.
“I think that’s a pretty fun style to watch. Certainly up here where we’re trying to play an attractive brand to build the game as well.
“That’s an important part of how we need to play.”
For it is a copycat league where those competing look closely at those who have achieved success, reigning premiers Geelong being the latest case in point.
However, Kingsley insists it has not been a directive from above to play a more attractive game style, yet merely his own philosophy due to what he has deduced during his apprenticeships elsewhere.
“It hasn’t been articulated to me that that’s how we have to play,” he added.
“But I just feel that’s the right way to play.
“If you look at the way Richmond have gone about it, certainly the way Collingwood have gone about it, the way Geelong went about it last year. A little bit more up-tempo, high-contest, (to be) really strong in that phase of the game.
“That’s a finals brand and it’s certainly fun to watch and fun to play. That’s how we’ll try and look this year. We’ve got a lot of work to do, there’s a few layers of teaching that and being able to execute that.
“I think so far we’ve gone quite well with it.”
In order for such a style to be imitated, you need a certain type of player.
Kingsley is confident the Giants have the right elements to execute a quicker and more dynamic brand than the club has been known for in recent seasons.
“I look at our midfield - (Stephen) Coniglio, (Josh) Kelly, (Tom) Green, (Finn) Callaghan, (Harry) Perryman. I think (Lachie) Whitfield, (Lachie) Ash particularly across half-back, (Isaac) Cumming, I think we’ve got a lot of speed in our team,” Kingsley said further.
Even if the club’s current small forward stocks have been depleted by hamstring issues with Brent Daniels and Toby Bedford currently sidelined.
“Adding Brent Daniels back from hamstring surgery last year and Toby Bedford from Melbourne, it certainly adds speed in our front half, so I feel like we’re well-placed to be able to play that brand,” he added.
“But we haven’t played against anyone other than ourselves. Against ourselves it feels like it’s going well but the true test will come and we play the Suns this weekend in the first one of those.
“So I’m looking forward to that.”
Following last weekend’s intra-club, the Giants will suit up against Gold Coast at Blacktown this Saturday.
Their 2023 season proper kicks off against Adelaide at Giants Stadium on March 19.