Forget the non-finals showing of 2020 and the Giants' 0-2 start to the AFL season - the GWS premiership window is still wide open according to foundation defender Nick Haynes.
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As the club desperately tries to kickstart its season against unbeaten Melbourne at Manuka Oval on Sunday, Haynes has hosed down recent commentary that his side is suffering from the loss of too many key players since their 2019 grand final defeat to Richmond.
The 147-game veteran believes its a lack of gameplan execution rather than a depletion of personnel that has contributed to the Giants' recent fortunes.
"We've lost talented players ever since 2013 or 14, I've seen a thing where you can make up a whole team of Giants ex-players and it's a pretty good team, and that's happened every year," Haynes said.
"If you look at our team on paper and you look at our midfield and you've got [Jacob] Hopper, [Tim] Taranto, [Stephen] Coniglio, [Callan] Ward, Tom Green coming up, Josh Kelly.
"You look at that and you go yeah, I'm pretty happy with that midfield. Some players have left but I wouldn't change that midfield for anything.
"In the round two game, obviously the way we want to play broke down. We just want to get back to playing the way we want to.
"You want to nut this out during the year rather than playing that kind of game in round 19, or 20."
GWS was only narrowly beaten by St Kilda in round one before a torrid showing in last weekend's 31-point loss to Fremantle.
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They were up against former Giant Nathan Wilson while ex-GWS tall Rory Lobb sat out injured.
That pair are a host of star players who have left the Giants in recent seasons, including Jeremy Cameron (Geelong), Zac Williams (Carlton) and Dylan Shiel (Essendon).
"Jeremy Cameron was a big loss, [as a] foundation member, but it's just a great opportunity for these young guys to develop, we've got some young key forwards developing down there," Haynes said.
"It's round two, we've had a bad loss and I'm pretty confident that we're going to get back on the bike and we have the personnel to do that.
"The people I mentioned before in our midfield, they're high picks and very talented players.
"On the weekend it just demonstrated if you don't play the way you want to play, we're going to get beaten. We firmly believe we will play finals footy this year and will contend for a premiership."
- SUNDAY: GWS Giants v Melbourne Demons at Manuka Oval, 6.10pm
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
