It was almost a formality when Adam Kingsley declared tagger Toby Bedford fit to return for Saturday’s AFL semi-final, but the Greater Western Sydney coach may have a surprise in store for Brisbane based on Thursday’s secretive session.
The generally relaxed Kingsley specifically requested media cameras be switched off for a small portion of their match simulation training, with a preliminary final up for grabs at Engie Stadium.
“Very politely,” Kingsley half-joked when he addressed reporters afterwards. “We were trying a few things I wanted to make sure didn’t get out – I’m not going to tell you what they were, either – so we just wanted to keep it a bit more secluded.”
The Giants have put last weekend’s six-point loss to the Swans behind them in the knowledge their season is on the line against the in-form Lions, and captain Toby Greene will be expected to lift after a tepid performance by the wily forward’s standards.
“We need him to play better than what he did,” Kingsley said. “I don’t know if he was poor against Sydney; I think he contributed. He had some opportunities that he would have liked to have taken and that would have certainly helped us.
“He’s going to get [Brandon] Starcevich again this week. He kept him to four possessions last time we played for the bulk of it, so another tough match-up for him.
Toby Bedford’s return from a calf issue is timely.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
“We’re a more dangerous beast [when Greene performs], if you want to call us that. I’d like to think we’re not reliant on anyone, albeit [there is] talk around us on our reliance on Toby or Jesse [Hogan], Tom [Green] in the midfield, Sam Taylor behind the ball.
“We’re a bit more of a team than that, and we’ve managed to win games with guys who aren’t quite at their best.”