WITH Greater Western Sydney's forward line shaken by injuries this year, Jake Stringer has stepped up as the key leader within the attacking group.

Rather than let the season derail, the seasoned veteran turned the disruption into an opportunity to mould the next generation of Giants forwards into confident footballers.

This leadership has been vital amid a brutal injury crisis, where setbacks to talls Aaron Cadman, Jesse Hogan, and, recently, Jake Riccardi have made it incredibly difficult for the Giants to field a settled attacking group.

However, these absences - alongside early injuries to stars Brent Daniels and Toby Bedford - have forced the Giants to lean on their depth, opening the door for youngsters like Phoenix Gothard to shine with breakout performances.

Reflecting on the ongoing changes, Stringer noted how much he has embraced this mentoring role.

"It's been a bit of an interrupted forward line. I've been the only one that has consistently been there every week," he told AFL.com.au.

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"So I've been trying to nurture the young talent coming through and help the younger kids become great footballers. Helping them week to week and in games has been something that I've really enjoyed.

"I can definitely see that starting to come through with Phoenix Gothard on the weekend, having a real breakout game. If you ask anyone inside the four walls, you could tell that it was coming sooner rather than later. He's been in the right spots for so many weeks; we just hadn't been using him. It's always great to see young players have those games. 

"With 'Cads' (Cadman) coming back, he's been unbelievable too." 

After a 2025 debut season with GWS that was heavily plagued by hamstring injuries, a clean pre-season has allowed Stringer to shoulder far more responsibility as a durable centrepiece of its attack.

"The beauty of it was actually playing some good footy and getting that continuity with them last year, and then having the whole pre-season and being able to train and practice," Stringer said.

"For me, it was just a matter of putting in the hard work over pre-season and implementing that into games. As a forward line group, we know we don't rely on one person; we rely on each other. That has been the case all through the year."

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When asked why he feels so strongly about mentoring his younger teammates, Stringer looked back to his early days with the Western Bulldogs, remembering the challenge of trying to find his feet in the AFL.

"(It's about) being a calm head for them," he said of his on-field leadership style.

"If they're struggling with moments in a game or they need help trying to work something out, they can always come to me. 

"I still remember when I was a young fella and Dale Morris was looking after me when I was at the Bulldogs. He took time out to really nurture me, so I'm more than happy to give back to anyone who wants help."

Jake Stringer and Dale Morris at the 2015 Sutton Medal at Crown Palladium. Picture: AFL Photos

Stringer is putting together a superb season, tracking above his career averages and matching the markers of his best individual years. His equal game-high five goals against Brisbane was his first five-goal haul since Opening Round, bringing his tally across 11 games (23) to the brink of eclipsing his 15-match total from last season (25).

"It's interesting when you get into footy mode, you don't really look into how you're going or what's happening numbers-wise. It's just been that week-on-week process," he said.

"It's obviously nice that I'm kicking a few goals or whatever, but it was nice to finally, as a team, find that bit of form that we'd been lacking."

Jake Stringer fends off Zac Bailey during the round 11 clash between GWS and Brisbane on May 24, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

At 5-6, the Giants' season sits at a crossroads. While their dominant 78-point dismantling of the Lions suggests a genuine turning point, the previous week's 17-point loss to West Coast proves that only sustained consistency will show this latest victory was not a false dawn. 

It is a reality that Stringer understands well, noting that individual success means little without team success.

"That's the thing with football: you might be going OK individually, but if the team's not going well, you definitely don't feel like you're going that well," he said.

"Even though my numbers are trending in the right direction, I still feel I've got a lot more left this season. I don't think I've fully hit form yet. 

"I've been a little bit inconsistent with my accuracy, so I'm going to work on that. I still feel I've got a lot to give throughout the second half of the year."