RYAN Griffen thought the opportunity to flip an ugly finals record on its head had passed him by.
 
It's why the Greater Western Sydney veteran will relish heading into September for the first time since he trudged off the MCG in 2010, following a third consecutive preliminary final defeat with the Western Bulldogs.
 
Griffen, 30, is one of only six players on the GWS list with finals experience and he will be keen to lead his club to a win over the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium next week, given he has tasted success just four times from 11 finals appearances.
 
He was a star with the Dogs when they got within one game of the Grand Final from 2008-10, with his biggest heartbreak being a seven-point loss to St Kilda in 2009. He told AFL.com.au that his best piece of advice for his Giants teammates will be to treat this finals campaign as if it's their last.
 
"You don't realise how lucky you are and that’s what I've told the young guys here," he said.
 
"You just think you're going to make another finals series year after year, but you just don't know what's going to happen so you've just got to take your opportunities.
 
"Back then (in 2009) we just let it slip by seven points and we played in three 'prelims' in a row.
 
"You look back and we were so close but just couldn't quite get it done.
 
"You realise the opportunities don't come around that often, so hopefully now we can make it count."
 
It was a controversial move when the two-time Bulldogs club champion, All Australian,and then club captain walked out of Whitten Oval at the end of 2014 and arrived in Sydney after 10 seasons at the Kennel.
 
Griffen has often talked about being stale at the Dogs and the Giants stood out as a potential new home, but it was only when he started training that he saw a different side to the club.
 
"I needed to find that spark and my love for the game again, and I looked at this list," he said.
 
"I knew there was some special talent here, but when I got here I saw how hard they worked and saw how much they wanted to be the best.
 
"It's a pretty potent mix when you've got players that have the talent there, but they're also willing to do the work, so it's pretty exciting to go into a finals series with them."
 
Griffen has played just 13 games this season thanks to back and hamstring issues, but has worked his way into peak condition in the past five matches.
 
Up against the Swans and their star-studded midfield, which includes 2016 All Australians Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Dan Hannebery, Griffen's experience and ability to win the contested footy will be vital for GWS and he said the Giants' on-ballers were ready for the challenge.
 
"They're an unbelievable side," he said.
 
"They've got so much talent right across the field and we know how they play. They're a strong, hard side.
 
"We know how talented their midfield is, they roll so many guys through there, and everywhere you look they've got talented players.
 
"We believe we can match them definitely, there's a lot of belief within the group.
 
"We've got the talent and the work rate and we've put a lot of hard work in, so it's going to be a good battle."