It’s an important year for midfielder Tom Green, coming off a career-best season — and the GWS Giants, hoping to avenge last year’s one-point preliminary final loss.
It would be an understatement to call Green an important player for the club. Just last year, he led the AFL with a colossal 32 disposals a game and was a key piece of an at-times dominant onball unit.
See below for the Giants v Suns full teams.
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There’s no surprise that he is now one of the Brownlow Medal favourites for this season, but the 23-year-old hasn’t let expectations bother him.
“I’m aware of it,” Green told 7NEWS ahead of Thursday night’s practice match.
“And I think, honestly, to be spoken about like that, even just in that way, is a privilege.
“I’m very grateful that I get to do what I get to do and I struggle to find anything like that or consider anything about this pressure.
“That (expectation) comes about from playing, performing, preparing really well, and the team going really well.
“So it’s nice to hear but it can also go away quickly.”
Now in his fifth season since arriving at GWS with pick 10 in 2019, Green remains dedicated to improving his craft.
And, while the hard-working midfielder keeps his career aspirations close, his ambition as a footballer is clear.
“I do have a drive to be the best. And that’s something that I’m continually working on,” he said.
“I’d like to think that I won’t be peaking physically or in football abilities for a little while yet, so I like to think I’m still on that trajectory.
“There’s always things (to improve on), whether it’s how you prepare going into the game, whether it’s the mental side … I think there’s also the body composition sort of stuff, how you’re recovering.
“And that’s just before you even get the skills, I think you can always be cleaner you can always be better with your hands, you can always be better.”
Under second-year coach Adam Kingsley, the Giants are hoping to start the season where they left off.
It was a slow start for GWS last year, with the club sitting in 15th place after 12 rounds, before they swept into the finals.
This year, they’ll have the chance to sharpen up against Gold Coast, in Green’s hometown Canberra.
“I think it’s pretty much the full dress-rehearsal for us.” he said.
“We had match simulation against the Swans last week. And while that was a good little hitout, this sort of goes up another level.
“There’s things coming out of that. Some of what we want to work on and tweak.”
The Giants will be hoping to get those finer details right as they start the season with a huge Opening Round clash against rivals, and 2023 premiers, Collingwood on March 9 at Giants Stadium.
Greater Western Sydney v Gold Coast at Manuka Oval, 7.10pm AEDT
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
B: Connor Idun, Jack Buckley, Harry HimmelbergHB: Lachie Whitfield, Sam Taylor, Josh FaheyC: Xavier O’Halloran, Tom Green, Jacob WehrHF: Brent Daniels, Jake Riccardi, Toby BedfordF: Toby Greene, Lachie Keeffe, Callum BrownFoll: Kieren Briggs, Josh Kelly, Stephen ConiglioI/C: Ryan Angwin, Toby McMullin, Harvey Thomas, James Peatling, Callan Ward, Leek Aleer, Nick Haynes, Aaron CadmanEmerg: Nick Madden, Wade Derksen, Max Gruzewski, Harry Rowston
Big Names Missing: Lachie Ash, Isaac Cumming, Finn Callaghan, Jesse Hogan, Harry Perryman
GOLD COAST
B: Sam Collins, Sean Lemmens, Charlie BallardHB: Alex Sexton, Wil Powell, Connor BudarickC: Brayden Fiorini, Matt Rowell, Brandon EllisHF: Ben Ainsworth, Sam Flanders, Tom BerryF: Nick Holman, Ben King, Mac AndrewFoll: Jarrod Witts, Bailey Humphrey, Noah AndersonI/C: Touk Miller, Jack Lukosius, David Swallow, Levi Casboult, Will Graham, Bodhi Uwland, Darcy Macpherson, Huwago OeaEmerg: Rory Atkins, Ned Moyle, Ben Long, Sam Clohesy
