Despite a humiliating defeat at the hands of Richmond in last year's Grand Final, most football experts and fans believed GWS would be back sooner rather than later - the list is too talented not to, right?
The answer to that question appeared to be 'yes' after an explosive and crisp performance in Round 1 against Geelong, which seemingly confirmed the club's status as a genuine threat for the premiership in 2020. In that contest back in March, the Giants piled 105 points on the Cats. The 'Orange Tsunami' was back, possibly bigger and better than in 2019.
But in the 11 games since the season resumed, Leon Cameron's outfit hasn't come within 20 points of that mark. The free-flowing, frenetic footy that inspired last year's Grand Final charge has suddenly been replaced by a hesitant, dour game style that has the Giants sitting 12th on the ladder with the league's fourth-worst scoring output.
Only winless Adelaide and the improving but vastly inexperienced Fremantle have sent the ball inside 50 on fewer occasions, and their average of 8.7 goals per games leaves them a very mediocre 10th in the competition.
So, what's happened to GWS?
LACK OF IDENTITY AS AN ATTACKING TEAM
Sitting 4-4 after a 12-point win over Richmond, something felt off.
A far cry from the attacking ball use of years gone by, the Giants were winning games the hard way, relying on an astonishingly high inside 50 efficiency that was surely unsustainable - 51.5 percent on 33.5 entries per game.
For context, the AFL average for inside 50's among the other 17 clubs was 41.8 entering Round 14, while only two clubs hold a forward 50 efficiency of above 50 percent on the season - Brisbane (51 percent on 46.5 entries) and Geelong (50.3 percent on 43 entries). The Lions and Cats look destined to finish in the top four not just for their efficiency in the arc, but also the supply, something GWS forwards are starved of.
The stats made little sense against Richmond - the Giants were +47 in disposals, finished +6 in clearances including +4 from centre bounces, yet somehow finished -14 in forward 50 entries.
1) The Giants indecisiveness and refusal to move the ball with urgency inside 50 hurt them over the first eight games. Rather then put the ball to a dangerous spot, Jeremy Cameron is unsure and ultimately turns the ball over in a dangerous spot for the rebound: pic.twitter.com/sOfuP8jbjH
— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) August 28, 2020
The growing problem for the Giants was a lack of decisiveness with the ball in hand, a resistance to show any flare. Possessions like the one above were all too familiar. A strong contested mark from Jeremy Cameron is followed by a lack of urgency getting back on the mark and an eventual poor turnover.
2) From the same game against Richmond, the Giants simply won't send the ball forward without perfect ball movement. Another costly short kick turnover leaves them exposed in what should have been a promising attacking foray on the switch: pic.twitter.com/ED7qXpLvQn
— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) August 28, 2020
On this occasion, the Giants showed a willingness to switch the play and move the ball on before another short pass brought them unstuck with an inexcusable turnover. Rather than play the territory game and attack with depth to seek repeat entries, the Giants were coming unstuck in their pursuit of perfection.
In a 26-point win over Gold Coast nine days later, the Giants were +79 in disposals while also registering a +12 inside 50 differential - their 45 inside 50's were 12 above the season average. Quite possible a catalyst for the change in style was the return of hard-running defender Zac Williams after a four-game absence with a hamstring injury. Williams finished with 26 disposals and 426m gained as the Giants finally showed some attacking flare.
3) The return of Zac Williams coincided with the Giants change of style. Inside 50's skyrocketed in the game against the Gold Coast with daring play from Williams like the following kick in a catalyst: pic.twitter.com/SFiB3EhNKO
— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) August 28, 2020
Diverting from the cautious, safe play of weeks prior, Williams was an instant launchpad from the back half, while the men in orange appeared suddenly intent on locking the ball in their forward half with repeat entries, engaging in the territory battle that was an afterthought in the weeks prior.
Including that win over the Gold Coast, the Giants are +12.7 on entries per game over the last four. The only problem is, their efficiency on those entries has dropped 19.6 percent in that period to 31.9 - for reference, the winless Crows are at 42.7 percent on the season.
The Giants have yielded quality for supply and now find themselves stuck in the middle with no clear blueprint on offence.
THE STRUGGLING STAR
Jeremy Cameron is battling in 2020. And the Giants are also battling in making best use of him.
Last year, Cameron bagged 76 goals in 24 games. This season he has 18 in 12. While all per game stats should be scaled appropriately given the shorter quarters, his goal per game average has almost halved from 2.7 to 1.5.
Perhaps the most telling stat is Cameron's marks on the lead per game which has dropped from 2.1 in the first 154 games of his career to just 0.8 in 2020.
The 2019 Coleman Medal winner has totalled just 13 disposals in the past two outings against West Coast and Sydney, with his lone goal coming via an extremely innocuous free kick against the Swans.
He is certainly out of form but it isn't all his fault.
With the Giants pressing for an unlikely fourth-quarter comeback against the Eagles, Cameron's frustration with the delivery was visible in the fourth quarter.
4) Jeremy Cameron's slump: Cameron has seen his marks on the lead per game from from 2.5 in the first 154 games of his career to 0.7 in 2020. It hasn't all been his fault.. pic.twitter.com/gv3gN2Q237
— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) August 28, 2020
Rather than lowering his eyes to hit up the leading Cameron, Greene telegraphed a long kick for all to see, in which Jeremy McGovern read to perfection, dropping back to claim one of his five intercept marks in the fourth quarter.
5) In the last four games the Giants inside 50's per game has skyrocketed from 33.1 per game to 45.8. The problem is their efficiency has plummeted 19.6% in that time with wasteful entries like the one below from strong attacking positions. pic.twitter.com/kjaUy0VenW
— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) August 28, 2020
On this occasion, Brett Daniels has options to utilise the fat side of the ground where the space inside 50 lies. Instead, he bombs away to a pack of players, significantly lowering the percentages of a shot on goal from a promising attacking foray.
Cameron isn't exempt from criticism, but he certainly has reason for frustration and a critical offseason looms for the out-of-contract forward.
CAN THE SEASON BE SALVAGED?
The Giants remain a fearful squad on paper. Callan Ward (finger) and Phil Davis (knee) are the only automatic first team selections in doubt for the near future.
They also have a favourable final five games, with St. Kilda the only team currently in the top eight the Giants will face in the run home.
Draw aside, the key to any 2020 success may lie with the availability of star small forward Greene, with his individual brilliance carrying them to wins over Richmond (18 disposals, five goals), Geelong (16 disposals, four goals) and Collingwood (19 disposals, three goals). The Giants are 1-3 without Greene in the line-up.
Or, maybe it lies with engine room stars tidying up their use of the footy - Josh Kelly (58.3 percent kicking efficiency), Stephen Coniglio (51 percent), Jacob Hopper (48.6 percent) and Tim Taranto (45.7 percent) are kicking well below their capabilities.
Star studded across every line, the Giants should be sitting comfortably among the topflight contenders. Instead, they find themselves in a race against time to find their identity.