GREATER Western Sydney football manager Jason McCartney is confident the Giants can challenge for a premiership next season, despite losing several significant players and with more potentially to come.
Former captain Toby Greene will move to Geelong on a three-year deal as a free agent ahead of 2027, while fellow forwards Jake Stringer and Jesse Hogan weren't offered new contracts. Hogan will be at Collingwood, while Stringer's AFL future is uncertain.
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The Giants will also listen to offers for former No.1 draft pick Lachie Whitfield, but are set to retain defender Harry Himmelberg despite some interest from rival clubs.
When asked if 2027 was set to be a "reset and stabilising year," McCartney firmly rejected the notion of a rebuild and insisted GWS could contend immediately because the club's recent inconsistency stemmed from key injuries, rather than a lack of talent or depth.
"We're really confident that our best is good enough; the bar has been set really high," he said on Continental Tyres AFL Trade Radio.
"The finals were incredible, especially the last couple of weeks, and well done to the clubs participating; and obviously at the weekend with Fremantle and Brisbane. But they're two sides we beat during the year.
"Now, we have to get player availability right. A large portion (of injuries) were out of our control, but some were within it. We had too many good players not on the park too regularly.
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"Every side manages this, but when you look at the quality of players such as Tom Green, Darcy Jones, Josh Kelly not playing a game, Brent Daniels and Jack Buckley missing significant football, and Sam Taylor missing the first 13 weeks out of State of Origin… we showed we were inconsistent, but we did beat some really good sides.
"We have great confidence in our depth and the young players who got exposure, and some that haven't had exposure yet. We're confident this group can move forward and really challenge."
McCartney said that apart from losing captain Greene, the recent departures were part of a deliberate strategy to balance the club's player contracts, maximise its draft picks and create opportunities for emerging talent.
He that with only one Sydney-born player currently on the Giants' list, the club periodically had to refresh its list through the draft and manage player turnover.
"Every couple of years, we move players around and capitalise on opportunities to get back into the draft," McCartney said.
"The draft is pivotal. While we enter trade periods, free agency and the SSP, our main focus is building through the draft. We manage player movement to new clubs regularly."
McCartney was also keen to counter external perceptions that player departures signalled internal turmoil.
"Toby is the only one who has chosen to leave the footy club throughout this period, purely for family reasons. He's given amazing service and is probably the best player in the club's history. So, a superstar and we wish him and his family all the best," he said.
"But outside of that, we love the players moving on, but we've strategically made decisions on some of these other boys.
"We feel we've got the coverage now. I'm not saying that some of these players are going to walk in and immediately replace Toby Greene, Jake Stringer and Jesse Hogan, but we have players on our list now who fulfil similar roles.
"Some have got opportunities, some need more opportunities, because if we don't (use them) we run the risk of losing them as interstate talent to offers from other clubs. We have confidence in that part of the list to keep moving forward."