Battling AFLW GWS Giants women aim to follow Adam Kingsley's AFL blueprint

While the women's program has slumped to three-straight losses to begin their 2023 campaign, the Giants men are one win away from reaching the AFL grand final.

Former Richmond assistant Adam Kingsley has successfully led the post-Leon Cameron era at the Giants, but it didn't come easily, with the men winning just four of their first 12 games as they slowly implemented Kingsley's new game plan.

However the team stuck with it, and since round 13, GWS have only lost two games to storm into the AFL finals.

Bernasconi similarly came in as head coach of the AFLW program at GWS trying to implement a new playing style.

The players were enthusiastic last year about the shift and there were certainly flashes of some incredible potential.

However with shorter seasons in AFLW than in AFL, it hasn't been a smooth first two years in the job for Bernasconi with the Giants still chasing their first finals appearance since 2020.

That's where Kingsley has been a huge source of inspiration.

"He's been a great, unofficial mentor for me this year," Bernasconi said on Tuesday ahead of the Giants' AFLW clash with Adelaide at Manuka Oval on Saturday morning.

"I've had a lot of hallway discussions and a couple of times I just sat in his office and picked his brain. He's got such a wealth of knowledge.

"I've learned a lot around the way he's implemented his system.

"The big thing is just to have your philosophy of how you want to play and be really consistent in how you educate during the week.

"It's something me and our coaches are really trying to model."

Winning is also infectious, and seeing how the GWS men have been performing, Bernasconi is hoping that rubs off on the AFLW squad too.

There'd be no better place than Canberra to get their first win of the season too, with Bernasconi and several players in the squad hailing from the capital.

"There's a great buzz around the footy club at the moment," he said.

"The men have done an amazing job. It's really important even for us at the moment to see that it does take time, but just stick to the course.

"Everyone bought into it, didn't stray from what they were trying to achieve, and then you get a bit of belief and momentum and the men's program has come to life.

"They're playing such a great brand a footy ... and we share a lot of similarities to be a fast ball-moving team that scores in transition."

The undefeated Crows will be a mighty challenge for GWS this weekend though. Adelaide crushed GWS by 96 points last season, which broke an AFLW record for the biggest loss.

On a positive note the Giants cleared star midfielder Alyce Parker of a serious knee injury and she is expected to be available for selection when teams are announced on Thursday.

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