After an extremely disappointing 2022, the Giants have a new coach, a new midfield and likely a new lease on life. There is little doubt that last year saw the Ferrari break down and become in desperate need of a tune-up.
The season could not have been much worse for the Giants, losing coach Leon Cameron and searching for a way to rediscover the fire and form that saw them make the Grand Final in 2019.
They lost five of their first six games and never really recovered, as injuries and form took their toll. Tellingly, they didn't manage to beat a single team that finished higher than 12th, a sign their form had fallen off a cliff.
The nightmare season saw long-time coach Leon Cameron step down, perhaps aware that the club had grown stale and was in desperate need of a revamp after going so close to the ultimate before descending back down the ladder.
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The off-season wasn't much better, with gun onballers Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper both requesting moves to Richmond. To make matters worse, developing youngster Tanner Bruhn also requested a trade and managed to land himself a move to the reigning premiers.
Fortunately, the Giants are well-stocked for midfielders and the expectations on them for season 2023 are much lower, meaning they may just be able to sneak under the radar and pull off a few shock upsets.
With new coach Adam Kingsley and his glorious pipes at the helm, there will be a clear imprimatur to reinvigorate the squad, which still boasts an array of extremely talented players. There is no doubt they are a better team than their six wins in 2022 suggest.
From 2022 All-Australian Sam Taylor down back, to midfield guns Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly, Lachie Whitfield and Tom Green, to a handy forward line in Toby Greene and Harrison Himmelberg, there is enough there to win games.
Green's signature is a huge boost, having been the subject of much speculation throughout 2022 and no doubt signifies that all is not lost at the Giants.
Throw in another number one pick in Aaron Cadman and a handful of others ready to make their mark, such as the highly-touted Finn Callaghan, and the Giants could be pushing for finals again sooner than expected.
With that in mind, we look at four options that could help speed up the process and see the Giants get back to September action.
2. Noah Balta
Since the loss of Jeremy Cameron, and to a lesser extent, Jeremy Finlayson, the Giants have struggled to fill the void in the forward line. Jesse Hogan has been serviceable and Harrison Himmelberg is a quality player, however having largely been utilised in defence last season, he was unable to impact as much up forward.
The Giants have relied heavily on Toby Greene to kick a bag in recent years, which has made them slightly predictable. Slotting Noah Balta into this club's full-back position would have a domino effect. Sam Taylor and Nick Haynes would be under less strain while youngster Leek Aleer would have time to develop.
Balta is not just a natural athlete, some have compared him to Alex Rance, such is his ability to lock down opponents. His ability to swing forward to kick a goal is an added bonus and his presence would free up Himmelberg to play forward with Hogan and Greene while youngster Aaron Cadman builds his engine and strength.
Balta's stats from 2022 are somewhat misleading, given he spent time at both ends of the ground, however he averaged 4.2 marks and 2.2 rebound 50s per game in his 18 appearances. Still just 23 years of age, he is entering his prime and would instantly have a huge impact on this Giants lineup.
