Gilham, 28, who joined the fledgling club in November after six seasons and a premiership with Hawthorn, has been impressed with how fierce and competitive the group is on the training track, and how keen they are to tap into his experience.
"They ask you: 'What does 'Buddy' do?' 'What does Sam Mitchell do?' They just want to learn as fast as they can," Gilham said.
Gilham quickly got a sense of the lengths some of his new teammates would go to in order to improve their fitness.
He describes a training session held at the Cronulla sand dunes as one of the most gruelling sessions he has ever seen at an AFL pre-season.
In the two hours spent running up the dunes he was staggered at the players' willingness to push their bodies beyond exhaustion.
"It was the intensity of the boys - Toby Greene, Tom Bugg and Tom Scully - flying up these sand dunes," Gilham said. "It was breathtaking to be honest: the environment we were in and how hard they were going … [they were] absolutely nailing themselves."
Gilham's trade happened after it became clear his senior opportunities would be limited at Hawthorn.
The club had recruited Brian Lake from the Western Bulldogs to play in the key defensive post and Gilham, who had played just six senior games in 2012 after undergoing a knee reconstruction in 2011, knew he would be playing for the Box Hill Hawks waiting for an injury.
When the move to Greater Western Sydney became an option he spoke to Leon Cameron, who had joined the Giants as heir apparent to senior coach Kevin Sheedy after being an assistant at Hawthorn.
Their conversation focused on how tough it might be for Gilham to adjust to the new environment.
"We had really honest chats about what to expect and what it would be like going from a club that was contending pretty strongly for a flag to a club that is developing," Gilham said.
"I came up with my eyes open about what to expect and have been pleasantly surprised with how the team has progressed throughout the pre-season."
The Hawks had been upfront with Gilham and when he trade went through he had lunch with Alastair Clarkson.
Their respect for each other is strong and it was important to Gilham that he left on good terms.
"They threw me a lifeline and gave me a second chance," Gilham said.
"That was important for me to finish like that and feel like I can, when my playing days are over, walk back into the club and still have that relationship there."
Gilham thinks he still has plenty to offer on the field despite the frustration of last year.
He admits he took a while to adjust to the pace of the game after his return from the reconstruction and says the season became a rollercoaster ride as he would play well in the VFL then struggle in the AFL.
"I thought as the season went on I was getting a lot better," Gilham said.
Now he thinks the lessons he learned will stand him in good stead.
"In terms of football week-in, week-out I probably wasn't quite at the level but the way in which I had to manage [my body] and mentally prepare for games, without that preparation out on the track was a new thing for me," Gilham said.
"Down the track that will really help me and hold me in good stead."
Passing on such lessons is part of his job now, as he embarks on the next chapter of his football career with a group that has quickly made an impression.
"They have had it pretty tough in the first couple of years … they are really close and stick together and help each other a lot," Gilham said.
Stephen Gilham is a defender in NAB AFL Fantasy. He averaged 46.5 points in 2012. Register your team at our AFL Fantasy Hub.
