Dashers given support by Giants colleagues

Line-breaking GWS Giants speedsters Nathan Wilson and Zac Williams have been told to back themselves and not fret about making mistakes, as they continue igniting their rising AFL club’s attack.

The Giants ascension to genuine contender status this year has coincided with the blossoming of their two half-back dashers.

Appropriately they each brought up their 50th senior appearance in the penultimate home and away round.

Their run and carry out of the back half has been a feature of the Giants season and has been encouraged by the Giants coaching staff and senior defenders Heath Shaw and Phil Davis.

“If we make a mistake then don’t worry, me and Zac have just got to keep going,” Wilson told AAP.

“Because we know it makes dividends for the boys up ahead in the forward line if we break the lines.

“All the coaches tell me to take it on. Even at training if I don’t take it on, they are saying `what are you doing, get going.’

“Zac and me it feels like we’ve come leaps and bounds the last two years, maybe the back end of last year we backed off a bit.

“But a massive pre-season for me and him and then obviously Shawy helped us,

“He’s like a mentor for us and plays a similar role, probably doesn’t run as much, but gets a lot of ball and tries to get us involved.”

The only boy among seven siblings, Wilson was taught the game and how to kick the ball by one of his sisters.

Recruited as a forward, West Australian Wilson kicked a long distance goal in the Giants very first AFL game.

However, his career progressed at a slower rate than almost all of the many other AFL debutants in the GWS side that night.

He played just 26 games in the first three and a half seasons, but was picked for the last six matches of 2015.

Wilson carried that momentum into 2016, playing the first 14 matches before falling victim to groin soreness.

His career didn’t achieve full lift-off till he was permanently switched to the backline.

“(I’m)loving every opportunity I get to play half-back to beat my man and use my speed and my kicking skills to run off,” Wilson said.

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