Midfielder Dylan Shiel expects Greater Western Sydney to roll with the punches in Saturday night’s AFL semi-final, as they have been forced to do throughout an injury-marred season.
GWS, desperate to progress to week three of the finals with a win over West Coast at Spotless Stadium, have overhauled their forward line and rejigged their ruck set-up.
Shane Mumford’s understudy Dawson Simpson was expected to play in the absence of the wrecking-ball ruckman, as has been the case twice this year.
Instead versatile big man Rory Lobb will handle the bulk of the ruck burden, something he hasn’t done since 2015.
The Giants called up Steve Johnson and Tim Taranto in place of Mumford and key forward Jeremy Cameron, hoping a smaller forward line will deliver much-needed potency that was lacking in a lopsided loss to Adelaide in week one of the finals.
Shiel insists the Giants can fire without the immense influence of two of their best players.
“We’ve had to adjust to a lot of things this year,” Shield told reporters on Friday, referring to the fact GWS have never played with the same 22 in consecutive weeks this season.
“It’ll be no different this week, our midfield will be prepared for whatever comes.
“Lobby really established himself last year as a forward and has been supplementing Mummy in the ruck.
“This is a massive opportunity for him to really step up and perform a bigger role.”
Shiel, who added it was wrong to simplify the Giants’ woes in their qualifying-final failure as a misfiring forward line, could spend more time closer to goals than usual.
Especially if tagger Mark Hutchings heads to the All-Australian midfielder, as he did in the round-22 clash between the sides at the same venue.
“All midfielders will spend time forward and in other positions,” Shiel said.
“With our list we’re really flexible with players and their roles.
“We’re ready for whatever comes our way. Whether I draw the tag, Josh (Kelly) draws the tag, or there is no tag.”
Kelly helped himself to a club-record 43 disposals against the Eagles in round 22, with visiting coach Adam Simpson resisting the urge to switch Hutchings onto the young gun.
“I reminded most West Coast players during the game that Josh was getting a fair bit of the ball,” Shiel quipped.
“Josh and I had about 60-plus possessions between us, not that it’s about that.
“But that’s the really good thing about our midfield – we’ve got a lot of balance… when players are down on their performance, other players are able to step up.”
GWS and West Coast both played at Adelaide Oval in week one of the finals but the Giants have enjoyed an additional two days break.
“It definitely helps but finals footy goes up another level and teams get up for finals,” Shiel said.