New GWS coach Adam Kingsley has forecast a second coming of the ‘Orange Tsunami’ and wants to see AFL rivals scrambling to batten down the hatches.
Unlike his predecessor Leon Cameron, who refused to use the media-hyped term to describe his Giants’ run-and-gun attacking style, Kingsley has embraced it.
And he has felt his charges do the same as they implement a fresh version of the high-intensity game plan, adding a swarming defensive component.
“The buy-in has been first class,” Kingsley told AAP ahead of the first real test, against Adelaide at Giants Stadium on Sunday.
“The players certainly enjoyed playing that style of game many years ago and they’re rapt that that’s where we’re returning.
“Attaching a defensive element to it is probably a bit different for them and takes a bit of coaching and encouragement, but you can tell the want from every one of the players is there.
“I remember facing it (as an opposition coach) and not necessarily being intimidated but having that heightened awareness around how we were going to be able to cope with that, or if we were (at all).
“It’s that perceived pressure and mindset going into the game that the tsunami’s coming.”
By design, there’s nothing too complicated about Kingsley’s game plan, which presents as a modern adaptation of legendary Port Adelaide coach John Cahill’s “crack in, kick it long” philosophy.
“You attach a bit more detail around the structure of it to make sure that it works,” Kingsley said.
“Who are we kicking it long to, and where should they be positioned? How do we crack in properly but still have really good balance around the contest?
“There’s detail around the structure and the role but ultimately the principle remains the same – crack in and kick it long.”
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks, an assistant to Cameron at GWS in 2019, admitted Kingsley’s arrival made the Giants “a little harder” to prepare for.
“There’s not as much data that you can look at, not as much vision of them consistently doing something,” Nicks said.
“In saying that, we know the Giants reasonably well, sometimes it might be a bit of an issue for me because I know them too well and I know what they can do at their best.”
Kingsley has left out No.1 draft pick Aaron Cadman for round one, opting to send Harry Himmelberg back to the forward line alongside fellow talls Jesse Hogan and Jake Riccardi.
Brent Daniels will be waiting at their feet, appearing for the first time since 2021 after overcoming a series of frustrating injury setbacks.
Adelaide will welcome back former captain Rory Sloane, who missed most of last season with a knee injury.
Former Gold Coast star Izak Rankine will play his first game for the Crows, who will have young defender Max Michalanney become their first father-son draftee to play an AFL game.
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