The Giants have been installed as the AFL's premiership favourites in 2017 and Ward has already circled the date of the preliminary final rematch against the Western Bulldogs on his calendar.

Ward's Giants were knocked out - as was Ward who copped a knee to the head - in the preliminary final against his old club, just six points short of a maiden grand final appearance.

The Bulldogs went on to win a historic drought-breaking flag and all Ward could think was "it could be us, it should be us playing in the grand final."

GWS host the Bulldogs in the club's first ever Friday night match at what is sure to be a sold-out Manuka Oval in round six on April 28.

Ward is entering his fifth year at the Giants since leaving Whitten Oval and says the buzz around the club is something to behold following a breakout year in 2016.

"It's probably a compliment for us that people think we're good enough to win the premiership," Ward said.

"I don't know what the right word is, I think I was very proud of the Bulldogs. I've got a lot of mates there, so I was very happy to see them win the premiership.

"But at the same time it was hard seeing that because I thought it could be us, it should be us playing in the grand final. It's probably a game I have thought about quite a bit, but it's out of my control now.

"We just have to turn up this season, it's a whole new season, it's a brand new season. We just have to play as good as we can to play in the finals again and contend for a grand final berth."

Ward was in Canberra on Tuesday as the Giants offered school students an opportunity to prove themselves with GWS academy spots potentially on offer.

This year was a little different than usual, with a host of female athletes putting their hand up for a spot in the academy hot off the back of AFL Women's competition launch.

"The women in AFL at the moment is just getting bigger and bigger, and I think that's fantastic," Ward said.

"I've got three sisters as well that wish they played AFL, that wished they could strive towards playing AFL Women's which they have now. I wish they did it 10 or 15 years ago because they probably could be I reckon."

The Giants controversial academy systems have come under scrutiny from opposition clubs, but the club is in Canberra looking for a diamond in the rough.

Jack Steele graduated through the academy ranks in the capital and has now set up camp in St Kilda, while his junior teammate Logan Austin made his debut at Port Adelaide last season.

The call-out wasn't limited to youngsters with a footballing background, with Richmond rookie Ivan Soldo - cousin of Tigers ruckman Ivan Maric - one example of a Canberran picked up by an AFL club with just school gala day matches to his name.