The GWS Giants are excited to head to Canberra and are confident Manuka Oval will be primed for footy just 11 days after the venue hosted local cricket finals.
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The Giants are gearing up for a pre-season clash on Thursday night in Canberra against the Gold Coast Suns now led by three-time Tigers premiership coach Damien Hardwick.
But there were concerns over the state of the pitch and the AFL's strict player safety requirements, which stipulate an exclusion period to ensure the area used for a cricket pitch doesn't pose an injury risk.
The AFL usually requires at least a two-week exclusion zone before matches, but Manuka Oval was granted an exemption and passed the Clegg test on the firmness of the centre square, while the Giants praised the ground as a "fantastic surface".
Having lost a pre-season hit-out against the Swans last week, the Giants are keen to build some momentum in Canberra before their round one blockbuster against Collingwood on March 9.
"The Swans are sharp and we were pretty sluggish fairly early on in the game, so this week in particular the game will be about sharpening a few things," vice-captain Stephen Coniglio said on Tuesday.
Last year the Giants had a strong season under new coach and former Richmond assistant, Adam Kingsley, who on Thursday will face his former head coach Hardwick.
![Giants vice-captain Stephen Coniglio. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong Giants vice-captain Stephen Coniglio. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/247aef6d-5ab2-414f-99b3-9607b16a6e1e.jpg/r0_440_5500_3544_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
While GWS copped a tough start, the loss margins reduced and eventually the Giants were able to go on a winning run to finish seventh on the ladder and fall just short of reaching the grand final.
The goal this season is to take another step forward and re-ignite the 'Orange Tsunami' that led to GWS' unforgettable 2019 run to the AFL decider.
"Last year was a lot of learning... this year, we know exactly what we want to achieve," Coniglio said. "It's about implementing that out there and then critiquing it.
"We're two years into a new system, and it definitely feels that this year we've been able to come in knowing the answers.
"I'm yet to achieve the ultimate [a grand final victory].
"The first half of last year we were losing, but we're doing a lot of the right things... it was definitely the one year out of my whole career where I've learned the most."
The Suns too are hoping to kick-start their year with victory in Canberra, especially after recruiting Hardwick.
The former Tigers coach will be tasked with improving Gold Coast's fortune, with the club never tasting finals footy or finishing higher than 12th on the ladder since joining the AFL in 2011.
AFL PRE-SEASON
Thursday: GWS Giants v Gold Coast Suns at Manuka Oval, 7.10pm