GWS 2026 Season Preview: Knock, Knock, Now What?

The list remains built to contend, with a proven backline, multiple forward threats, and a midfield that can overwhelm teams when it is right.

The 2026 story has changed quickly, though. Clayton Oliver has joined the Giants from Melbourne, giving them a genuine second contested bull alongside Tom Green. But in the same breath, their midfield plan has taken a hit. Tom Green has suffered a knee injury with fears it could be ACL related, with scans required, and Josh Kelly is expected to miss most of 2026 after major hip surgery.

This is still a premiership calibre list. The path is just narrower.

GWS are not trying to become relevant. They are trying to convert relevance into something real.

They have the defensive foundation and forward firepower to beat anyone. The question is whether their midfield can stay intact long enough to give them the four-quarter control that premiership teams require, especially with the Kelly timeline and the uncertainty around Green.

Oliver’s arrival is the headline. If he plays anywhere near his best, GWS gain another player who can win hard ball and feed runners like Finn Callaghan.

Their backline remains one of the best built units in the league. Sam Taylor, Jack Buckley and Connor Idun give them structure, intercept power and matchup flexibility.

Forward of centre, the options are still stacked. Jesse Hogan, Toby Greene and Aaron Cadman give them multiple ways to score. Cadman’s trajectory is important because it reduces the reliance on older bodies to carry the attack.

The obvious risk is midfield availability. If Green misses significant time and Kelly is largely absent, Oliver’s impact has to be immediate and sustained, and Callaghan’s responsibility rises fast.

There is also forward balance. Jake Stringer remains on the list plan for 2026 after being delisted for list mechanics with the intention to be re drafted, but his fitness and weekly role still determine whether he is a weapon or a passenger.

For GWS, the defining variable is how they replace Tom Green’s contested presence if the worst case outcome is confirmed.

If Green is available, the Giants can run a brutal inside mix with Green and Oliver feeding Callaghan’s run and outside damage. If Green is not, Oliver becomes the primary clearance driver, and the system must lean harder on speed and ball use rather than pure stoppage power.

This is the difference between being a top four threat and being a side that wins finals only when everything breaks perfectly.

GWS remain a high ceiling team, but they are now more sensitive to availability than the market usually assumes with them.

They are a strong weekly matchup team when their midfield is intact because their defence travels and their forward line can kick bursts. Futures confidence depends heavily on early season injury clarity, particularly around Green.

Their realistic range sits between fourth and ninth. If the midfield holds, they can go deep. If it does not, they risk being good but not complete again.