GWS Giants 2013 Report Card

Jeremy Cameron was a shining light for the Giants. Source: Mark Evans / News Limited

DO the Giants get a pass for the 2013 season? See our verdict and have your say.

SNAPSHOT

Wins: 1
Losses: 21
Draws: 0
Ladder position: 18th
%: 51.0

WHAT WENT RIGHT

THE emergence of Jeremy Cameron as the competition's most exciting forward was a huge positive for the fledgling club. But despite his best efforts, the Giants could only manage one victory – Round 19 against Melbourne. Top draft pick Lachie Whitfield showed positive signs, franked by his willingness to re-sign to the end of 2015. Giants 'veteran' Tom Scully had his most consistent year plying his trade both offensively and defensively. Callan Ward led the Giants brilliantly in his second year at the helm. While the Giants competed better, for longer, in 2013 they were still belted by 100 points or more on five occasions.

WHAT WENT WRONG

EIGHTEEN consecutive losses had the Giants tracking towards a winless season – the first team since the 1964 Fitzroy Lions to achieve the feat. Thankfully, the footy gods shone down on the Giants as they swept aside a tired Melbourne outfit with ease in Round 19 at Skoda Stadium. Interestingly, it was in Round 19 last year the Giants secured just their second AFL win by defeating Port Adelaide at the venue. Jonathan Patton's wretched luck with injury continued with the top draft pick sidelined following a knee reconstruction. Patton ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during the Giants' Round 3 loss to St Kilda. Hard-nosed midfielder Toby Greene felt the second-year blues unable to reach the heights of 2012. Irishman Setanta O'hAilpin was unable to get his body right.

BEST AND FAIREST

CALLAN Ward looks well placed to secure a second Kevin Sheedy Medal – awarded to the Giants best and fairest player. Jeremy Cameron could pinch the medal having provided much of the Giants scoreboard pressure. Tom Scully and Dylan Shiel would be next in line.

Follow Gilbert Gardiner on Twitter: @GilbertGardiner

THE LIST

ELITE: Callan Ward, Jeremy Cameron
BIG IMPROVERS: Tom Scully, Dylan Shiel, Adam Treloar
GOING, GOING: Bret Thornton, Stephen Gilham, Setanta O'hAilpin, Gerald Ugle, Sam Schulz, Shaun Edwards
GONE: Kevin Sheedy… Chad Cornes, Dean Brogan
TRADE BAIT: Taylor Adams, Liam Sumner

WHAT THEY NEED

THE midfield group is on the up. But the Giants desperately need more avenues to goal to take the pressure off Jezza Cameron. An experienced forward [read: Lance Franklin] could slot into the mix to allow the young guns time to develop. The backline continues to leak goals – needs help. Surely, another ruckman wouldn't go astray? Rob Warnock, Tom Bellchambers or even Max Bailey – squeezed out of the Hawks rotation with the emergence of the David Hale and Jarryd Roughead double act.

STATS THAT MATTER

Club leaders

Kicks: Callan Ward (247)
Handballs: Callan Ward (242)
Contested possessions: Callan Ward (213)
Marks: Adam Tomlinson (127)
Contested marks: Jeremy Cameron (20)
Clearances: Callan Ward (94)
Inside-50s: Dylan Shiel (71)
Rebound-50s: Tom Mohr (90)
Frees for: Jonathan Giles (41)
Frees against: Jonathan Giles (30)
Goals: Jeremy Cameron (62)
Goal assists: Lachie Whitfield (13)
Time on ground: Tim Mohr (2402)
Players used: 46

TEAM STATS (total/percentage + AFL rank)

Disposals: 334.7 (17th)
Contested possession differential: -17.8 (17th)
Tackles: 59 (14th)
Clearance differential: -2.3 (15th)
Inside-50 differential: -19.9 (18th)
Scoring % inside 50: 47.7% (16th)
Av points for: 69.3 (17th)
Av points against: 135.9 (18th)
Av winning margin: 37
Av losing margin: 71

DID YOU KNOW?
GWS Giants averaged 0.7 more points for than Gold Coast did in its second year, however, 23.1 more points against.

Sport Foxer