F-word still off limits for Giants in AFL

They’re sitting pretty on the AFL ladder with five rounds to go but mentioning the F-word is still a no-no at Greater Western Sydney.

The Giants beat Port Adelaide last weekend to rack up a record-breaking 12th win to move into second on percentage behind defending premiers Hawthorn.

Victory against Richmond in Canberra on Saturday would likely secure them a place in this year’s finals – a first for the fledgling club.

But, according to forward Devon Smith, that topic remains off limits.

“No, we haven’t,” Smith said when asked if they had started talking finals footy.

“Last week, we realised if we won, we went to second – if we lost, we went to seventh.

“Every game from here is so important.”

The Giants are set to welcome back veteran Ryan Griffen on Saturday after missing three games with a hamstring injury.

While passed fit to play, he trained away from the main group at Manuka Oval on Friday as a precaution due to a cold.

He is likely to play reduced minutes on Saturday.

“He’ll come in and play about 60 per cent and build from there,” Smith said.

Influential ruckman Shane Mumford is also poised to face the Tigers after being cleared of any structural knee damage suffered against Port.

Smith said the inclusion of the pair was a boost.

“Everyone knows how important he (Mumford) is, and Griff’s very experienced being the captain of a footy club,” Smith added.

“I can’t wait to play with them tomorrow.”

GWS have not beaten the Tigers in five meetings since 2012 – one of three clubs they are yet to topple, alongside Collingwood and North Melbourne.

But given the list of firsts they’ve already achieved this season, Smith is hoping to add another in the nation’s capital.

“We’d never won in Perth or Adelaide and now we have so, hopefully, we tick another box tomorrow,” he said.

“(Richmond) have played some good footy at certain times this year – they beat Sydney in, I reckon, the game of the year and almost beat the Dogs a couple weeks ago.

“So we’ve got to come prepared for a battle.”

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