WHILE a sputtering 4-6 start to the season has external critics questioning if Greater Western Sydney is in trouble, the mood inside the four walls tells a completely different story.

Undeterred by the mounting pressure, the Giants are drawing on familiar history, firmly believing they have the blueprint to fix their flaws, replicate past second-half surges, and charge right back into premiership contention.

It is a belief backed by Giants forward Toby Bedford, who remains confident the club can turn it around.

"We're still really confident that we can make finals and have a really good run in finals," Bedford told reporters on Tuesday.

"We're confident that we're still a chance to win the Grand Final. There's no belief that we're not good enough; we believe that we are good enough.

"We haven't started well, but we cast our minds back to 2023 a couple of times. We use that as a reference - we started that season poorly and had a great second half of the year. So, hopefully, we turn the little things around and fix the little mistakes we've been making and have a good second half of the year."

In 2023 - Bedford's first season with the club - the Giants found themselves 3-7 after round 10, languishing in 15th place as late as round 12 before staging a remarkable turnaround, winning nine of their last 11 games to finish seventh.

Their current slump hit a low point in round 10. 

Entering the clash as heavy favourites against the Eagles, the Giants were stunned in a Sunday evening thriller at Optus Stadium, with the home side coming from behind in the fourth quarter to win by 17 points and snap a six-game losing streak.

"Their pressure was really good - credit to them for that - and we just couldn't really deal with it at times," Bedford said.

"The second and fourth quarters really let us down in that department. But there are still a lot of learnings we'll take out of it, and hopefully we bounce back this week against the Lions."

Playing in his home state for the start of Sir Doug Nicholls Round, Bedford, a proud Bunuba man, spoke of the intense pride, leadership, and support he experiences during the two-week celebration.

"The club has allowed me to (stand taller), putting me in situations like this in the media, which is good, and just speaking in front of the group. The boys rally around us (First Nations players) - even more so during these two weeks," he said.

"They try to play for us. Obviously, we didn't get the job done, but the boys really did try to make an effort, showing that it was for us Indigenous boys and for our families."

As the sole Indigenous player set to take the field for the Giants on Sunday, Bedford said he relishes the opportunity to be a role model and representative for his community.

"I love these two rounds because the boys ask more questions," he said.

"It's brought to light, and I love it when the boys and the staff ask questions. I love getting the opportunity to speak about it. It's something I'm really proud of.

"I want to be a role model for kids back home, for Fitzroy Crossing, and across the whole Kimberley. We're trying to grow the numbers for Indigenous players in the game, and any way we can help, we'll try and do that.

"The more you know, the more you understand, and the more you're willing to support. Not saying we all need support … If people understand our culture and understand our struggles a bit more, the easier it will be (to grow those numbers).

"It's a great round to ask questions, but I urge everyone to continue asking after this round and (keep) connecting with the boys and the staff. It's incredibly important. Some people have some amazing stories, and the majority of people are willing to share, as long as you ask questions."

Hailing from Fitzroy Crossing - a small, close-knit community in the Kimberley - Bedford is energised by the massive scale of the opportunity in Greater Western Sydney, home to one of the largest First Nations populations in Australia. 

For him, the Giants' active push to embed themselves within the local Indigenous community is a vital mission.

"It's extremely exciting. There's a massive Indigenous community here, and we're trying to tap into that and trying to get more Indigenous players away from rugby league, probably, and into AFL. There's a lot of talent here," Bedford said.

"We know that a lot of Indigenous players are just naturally gifted when it comes to sport. Us trying to tap into that and try to poach, I guess, those players from the NRL to the AFL is something we're keen on doing. 

"It's going to take some time, but we're getting there. I've gone out and seen the New South Wales younger kids - the under-16s and 14s Indigenous players - and they're slowly getting bigger. There's a lot of talent coming out of that. It's something that we're going to have to keep working on, but slowly, I think we'll knock down those doors, and we'll get a few more AFL players out of it."