AFLW Giants must stick together: Shiel

The winless GWS Giants AFLW side need to keep faith and stick together, according to one of the club’s top male players, who endured a similarly tough start.

The last-placed lady Giants have played four games for a draw and three losses.

They have just three matches left to register a win in the inaugural season, with an away game against Collingwood sandwiched between home fixtures against Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.

The Giants men took seven games to break their duck in 2012 and won just two in total in their first season.

The only victory of their second campaign came after 17 losses.

“You just have to stick to the process and keep the faith,” Giants’ midfielder and foundation player Dylan Shiel said.

“Fortunately enough we’ve built a really good bond at this footy club within the playing group.

“If you stick together over the years and stick to the process it will definitely turn your way.”

Co-captain and key defender Phil Davis delivered a similar message when he addressed the Giants women on Tuesday evening.

“All these hard times we’ve had have given us strength, footy shows character,” Davis said.

Giants AFLW midfielder Maddy Collier said her team needed to come out with more confidence against the Demons on Friday than they did against high flying Brisbane last week.

GWS kicked just 1.3, the lowest score in the fledgling competition, and lost by 34 points.

“I think we were a little bit daunted given that Brisbane are on top of the ladder and so we probably didn’t play to our full ability,” Collier said.

“I think this week we’re looking to really rectify that and come out playing to our full potential.”

The AFLW game at Blacktown, in western Sydney, is part of a double-header and precedes the mens pre-season clash against Sydney.

Collier said the Giants would like the chance to play their own AFLW derbies in the future, if an expanded competition included a second Sydney team.

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