Honeyball takes a look at the likely best 23 for the GWS Giants ahead of the 2026 AFL season, noting ins and outs, key injuries, plus a look at relevant AFL Fantasy and SuperCoach players.
We’ve used quotes from GWS coach Adam Kingsley’s chat on afl.com.au’s Your Coach podcast to offer additional insight on relevant players.
Ins: Finnegan Davis (No.51 draft pick), Riley Hamilton (Category B rookie), Jayden Laverde (SSP), Clayton Oliver (trade, Melbourne), Oskar Taylor (No.15 draft pick)
Outs: Wade Derksen (delisted), Josh Fahey (delisted), Lachie Keeffe (retired), Callan Ward (retired), Jacob Wehr (free agent, Port Adelaide)
Key injuries: Sam Taylor (hamstring), Brent Daniels (knock), Finn Callaghan (hip), Josh Kelly (hip), Toby Bedford (hamstring), Tom Green (knee), Darcy Jones (knee)
Predicted Opening Round 23
B: Connor Idun, Sam Taylor*, Jack Buckley
HB: Lachie Whitfield, Harry Himmelberg, Lachie Ash
C: Xavier O’Halloran, Clayton Oliver, Ryan Angwin
HF: Toby Greene, Jesse Hogan, Callum Brown
F: Brent Daniels*, Aaron Cadman, Jake Stringer
Foll: Kieren Briggs, Stephen Coniglio, Finn Callaghan*
I/C: Leek Aleer, Harry Rowston, Jake Riccardi, Toby McMullin, Joe Fonti
*injury cloud
Relevant Players
Clayton Oliver
Adam Kingsley: “His first couple of months have been quite good. He missed 3 weeks with a calf. He’s been into training now and back into playing games and matchplay. He’s been really good.”
“I’m pretty excited about what he can deliver for us… I see no reason why he can’t (get back to his best). Physically he looks like he’s in really good shape. He’ll give himself every chance.
Toby Greene
Kingsley: “He has (played some midfield) in the pre-season. Whether we go with that, we’ll see how it unfolds. You need to throw different challenges to guys.
“He’s been training as a forward for a long period of time, knows how to play as a forward, so a different challenge, more time at stoppage or midfield meetings, maybe he can influence our midfielders across a pre-season. He will spread his time more through the midfield than he has in the past. Whether that’s 50-50 split or more time as a mid than a forward, we’re not sure yet.”
Lachie Whitfield, Lachie Ash, Kieren Briggs
