Kane Cornes fears the GWS Giants may be nearing the edge of “the cliff” with their current group as the club’s hopes of winning a premiership cop another hit.
Only once in the history of the club has the Giants competed for the flag – and that 2019 grand final is one many of those who wore the orange guernsey would like to forget.
But that result has not dimmed the fighting spirit for the side, rather it has seen the Giants become just one of two teams to make the last three finals series in a row.
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Only the two-time reigning champions the Brisbane Lions have also done so, but unlike the Giants heading into 2026, they are expected to go deep in the competition.
With Kingsley proving time and time again that his playing group can be a premiership threat, Cornes somewhat believed that this season could be a good one for the Giants.
But with a series of injuries to key players before the Opening Round, he is now unsure.
“I didn’t have high aspirations,” Cornes admitted on SEN.
Kane Cornes for Channel Seven. Getty
“I think they are going to be top six-ish … I thought that. Are they going to be that now? It’s going to be hard.
“I’ve said this a couple of times, has this group gone as far as this group is going to go?”
The likes of Josh Kelly (hip), Toby Bedford (hamstring) and Finn Callaghan (hip flexor) are all set to be sidelined for a couple of weeks, with the trio all absent for the simulation match this weekend.
On top of that, the side will be without Tom Green for the season due to an ACL injury, while Brent Daniels and Cody Angove also have their own hamstring concerns.
With an already lengthy injury list, Kingsley will need to look to younger talent – a factor which has influenced Cornes to have hesitations about the team.
“They go from guaranteed stars to unknowns really quickly,” he continued.
“Like Rowston – is he a good player or not? I don’t know, we need to see more of it and we are going to see more of it. But when you line them up with other top six-ranked teams, they are going to be beaten more regularly than they were in the middle.”
Josaia Delana (left) and Clayton Oliver celebrate during the 2026 AFL match simulation against the Magpies. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Cornes then shifted his focus, saying: “With the age [of the squad], what happens if it doesn’t work out for them this year?
“Is it going to be a cliff situation [like the Sydney Swans]? That would be my fear for the Giants.
“Toby Greene and all of the senior players that we know have taken this group as far as they are going to go.
“Very good, very close, but not good enough. Is there going to have to be a change of strategy at the end of the year? They’ve lost a lot of depth.
“That would be my fear for them.”
GWS have one pre-season match still to come before the opening round, facing their cross-town rivals the Sydney Swans at Henson Park on Thursday.
Come time for the Opening Round, the Giants will host the Hawks on March 7.