The 2026 Giants squad. Photo: GWS Giants.

Despite a devastating season-ending knee injury to their star player in Tom Green, the GWS Giants are upbeat about their chances to contend for the AFL Premiership in 2026.

The club held their 2026 Season Launch at their state-of-the-art training facility at Sydney Olympic Park on Monday night, with hundreds of people – including sponsors, fans and media – in attendance.

Hosted by well-known television and radio presenter Mel Doyle, the evening saw two people bestowed Giants Life Memberships – John Quinn and Adrian Fonseca – as well as jersey presentations to the entire Giants playing group and speeches by coaches and officials.

Speaking with the packed crowd at Tom Wills Oval, Giants coach Adam Kingsley first touched on the recent ACL injury to 2025 Kevin Sheedy Medallist Tom Green.

“It’s been a bit of a challenging period over the last three days with some injuries and a couple of hamstrings to Toby [Bedford] and Sam [Taylor] and unfortunately Tom, with that knee injury, looks certain to miss the entire season, which is incredibly disappointing,” Kingsley said.

“It’s less than ideal but it is a challenge that every club faces at times and history will say clubs have still managed to perform and have been able to achieve their dreams despite having some injuries, despite having people miss time.”

Kingsley assured Giants fans that despite the recent setbacks to some players, that he’s been incredibly impressed with what he’s seen from his troops so far this pre-season.

“I have an unwavering belief in our footy club. It doesn’t matter who takes the field. I have ultimate faith that we will be just fine,” he said.

“We can’t let a couple injuries of late cloud the fact that we have had a fantastic pre-season and a fantastic summer… The proof will be in the pudding come game time but we’re certainly very confident.”

Giants captain Toby Greene – fresh off playing AFL’s version of State of Origin last weekend – also spoke ahead of his 15th season with the club, expressing just how far he’s come since his debut season in 2012.

“It took a while for me to mature,” Greene admitted.

“But I’ve had great people around me over the years. I’ve been supported by Coggs (Stephen Coniglio) and [Callan] Ward and Phil [Davis] especially in the early days. Leon Cameron (former coach) played a huge role, as did Sheeds (Kevin Sheedy).

“When you’re surrounded by great people it lifts you up and I feel like that’s what’s happened to me.”

Other highlights of the evening included a Q&A with GWS’ first-ever coach, the legendary Kevin Sheedy as well as popular Australian Test cricketer Mitch Starc, who is the Giants’ proud number one ticket holder.

GWS will play two pre-season matches against Collingwood and the Swans in the coming weeks before kicking off their 2026 campaign against Hawthorn on Saturday, March 7.

Nathan Taylor

Nathan Taylor is the Weekender’s Deputy Editor and Senior Sports Writer. He also compiles the weekly Chatter on the Box TV column. Nathan is an award-winning journalist, who has worked at the Weekender for a decade.