Almanac Footy: GWS 2025 Season Preview
Oz Footy List Manager now takes a look at GWS.
List:
So says the adage, ‘Two steps forward, one step back’. For all of GWS’s rebuilding over the last handful of years, it will, no doubt, face new challenges, with the loss of Perryman, Cumming, and Peatling. Perryman was a key intercepting flanker in 2024. Cumming’s 2024 was hampered by injury. While Peatling looked the ‘up-and-comer’ in the midfield. The twilighter Haynes is gone too, but his 8 games last year and repetitive hamstring injuries in big games already cast doubt on his future.
There is a sparse area on their list of mature players (25 to 27yo) and developing smaller-mediums (22 to 24yo). The list desperately needs players of these types.
This means, GWS will have to rely again on their twilighters playing core roles. However, their list’s midfielders are sparse and there will be opportunities for their solid range of junior players. Why Stringer was recruited, to me, is a mystery, as he didn’t look fit enough to play a midfield role last season.
Also, with Flynn gone, Briggs will be first ruckman, and he looks ready for it.
Gut feel says that GWS might take a small rebuilding dip this season, but Kingsley and his crew have shown better than expected results over the last year or two.
Select 22:
The goal to goal line selects itself, based on some very good performances last season. However, the list lacks quantity in its developing midfielders and forward and defensive flankers. The back half is probably overly tall, and the forward half has too many key tall forwards.
The midfield lacks numbers – probably running on 4 cylinders – but Kingsley will rotate his twilighters in with his developing ‘mids’ and new juniors.
With Briggs being the only ready first ruckman, I might suggest Aleer being tried as a change ruckman. Ward marginally missed out but will play through the season.
This season looks like a challenging one for GWS. But, there will be heaps of opportunity.
B: Ash, Taylor, Idun
HB: Whitfield, Himmelburg, Buckley
C: Kelly, Callaghan, O’Halloran
HF: Greene, Hogan, Riccardi
F: Brown, Cadman, Bedford
R: Briggs, Green, Daniels
I: Coniglio, Stringer, Aleer, Thomas
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About
It was 25 years ago that I began developing a model for analysing footy squad lists for the purpose of improving those lists into a premiership window. Since then, the model has been used to successfully predict premiership clubs and to improve either lop-sided or underdeveloped lists into premiership lists. Indeed, the model was used for an article that I had published as a double page spread in The Age 2005 Pre-Season magazine. Over the 25 years, I have analysed the annual lists of one particular club but have used it for other clubs upon request. It has always been on my bucket list to display the lists of all the clubs, using the model, which I've done since 2021 on my website - OzFootyListManager.com
This is hilarious! Briggs played in the first ruck all last season and had a tremendous season. “The lists midfielders is sparse.” Ward, Green, Kelly, Cognilio, Callaghan, O’Halloran, Angwin, Wehr, Bedford, Leake is ample with a good mix of experience and youth.
Jack Buckley is a key defender and is named on the half back flank with Himmelberg named at CHB – really? And the Coleman Medalist of 2024 Jesse Hogan is named at Centre Half Forward not Full Forward-please explain? And as for Riccardi on a half forward flank-he has never played on a half forward flank. “Why Stringer was recruited is a mystery to me as he didn’t look fit enough to play a mid field role last season.” What? He [played up forward and booted over 40 goals. He was recruited to add potency to an already formidable attack. A baffling summation of the GIANTS but I will go with the “model.” Well done.
Thank you Richard. If you are the the Richard Griffiths, the GWS CEO, I am indeed honoured.
If so, I may suggest that inside the bubble, you have a different view to one outside it.
In regard to Briggs, He has established himself as first ruck after Flynn’s departure. But, if Briggs needs a rest or goes down for a number of weeks, who is your up-and-coming developing ruckman? Hopefully not 34yo Lachie Keefe!
In regard to midfielders, the model indicates that 12 would be minimum on a list. You have given me 10 of which I would count Green, Kelly, Callaghan, O’Halloran as serious midfielders. The loss of Peatling, 24, when just clicking, was a big blow. Ward is 34 and averaged less than 20 disps per game. Coniglio is 31yo and has already played his best footy. Angwin is 22 and is improving but hasn’t played much footy with only 4 games last season. Wehr is already a mature 26yo, but has only played 25 games. Leake is a 19yo skinny defender yet to play a game. Bedford looks part of the way there but doesn’t get enough of the ball to be a regular midfielder.
From the outside, I must admit that it appears that your original core of Ward, Kelly, Whitfield, Greene, etc., have appeared over the last few years to be list blockers to up-and-coming players. You must have a large portion of your salary cap locked in with these twilight players. Cumming, Peatling, Hopper, Taranto, Bruhn might attest to this.
In your back half, your best 8 interceptors and rebounders are Taylor, Buckley, Idun, Himmelburg, Aleer & Perryman. Whitfield and Ash. 5 of the 8 are well over 190cms, which indicates an imbalance on your list. You lack of mature and developing smaller-medium defenders hones in on one of GWS’s weaknesses. I could have put Perryman on the HBF instead of Buckley or Himmelburg, but the latter 2 are better defenders.
As said, I am on the outside, and this is what the model tells me. The positive is that lists are dynamic over seasons, ever changing, not static. Junior players inevitably become developing players, then mature players, and so on. One step back can lead to two steps forward. Cheers.