'I didn't need the Gia-up'

[bornadog]

Mike Sheahan From: Herald Sun July 09, 2011 12:00am



DANIEL Giansiracusa didn't need you-know-who to blab to the world that he was labouring on the footy field.

Y-K-W's blistering attack on Gia came on Superfooty's Live Mike program five days after the Western Bulldogs suffered a 123-point hiding at West Coast's hands in Perth in May.

The Doggies had slumped to 11th with three wins after eight rounds, with a dozen established players, including vice-captain Giansiracusa, clearly off the boil.

What Jason Akermanis didn't know when he dumped on his old teammate was that coach Rodney Eade and Gia had addressed the issue at length earlier that week.

"I wasn't playing well at the time," Giansiracusa told the Herald Sun yesterday. "I do think I'm a realist and know where I'm at as a player. No, I wasn't playing well at all.

" 'Rocket' (Eade) and I sat down after the West Coast game and had a good chat about where I was at.

"We chat a bit, but it's usually more about the team; where we're going as a group. This time, it was more individual-based. I knew I wasn't playing great footy and he told me so.

"To sit down with him and actually hear it from him about where I was at, that was a bit of a load off my shoulders. We took a deep breath and I realised he's there for me, and all the coaches, my teammates are there as well.

"We were all in a bad way at the time. We'd just been thumped by the Eagles. I think that was really a turning point. I talked to him about playing a bit more midfield and he was open to that as well. As it's turned out, I probably haven't done that a great deal, but those little stints have given me a bit of relief."

Eade's message, he said, was timely and blunt. "He said I was close to being dropped.

"Just to have that conversation was a positive thing. Just the chance to take a big breath, (for him to) say he knows where I'm at, I know where I'm at. I figured out 'OK, I've got to try some different things'. Like work on quick hands because he had a perception that I was getting caught a little bit which can get in someone's head that maybe the game's gone past you a little bit.

"So I had to change. I wasn't going to just say 'that's what he thinks' and that's it. Yeah, there had been a few times where I did get caught. I worked with Monty (forwards coach Brett Montgomery) in trying to get the hands quicker. I haven't really been caught since then.

"I also did a few things different pre-game, things like a bit of boxing. I probably wasn't working as hard as what I had, either."

The heart-to-heart with Eade, the extra work at training, the adjustments to his pre-match routine all had the desired effect.

In the six games since the fateful trip to Perth, Giansiracusa has averaged 21 possessions and kicked 21 goals.

He might be in career-best form. Certainly it's his richest vein of form over a short time.

While he finished third in the best and fairest in 2010, he says 2008 was his best year, when he finished fifth in the club championship and kicked 33 goals.

He has 29.9 this year from 12 games.

"I'm playing a bit of a different role, more inside 50. The last six weeks have been pretty good and we've won the last three which has made life a bit more enjoyable.

"I've always been pretty confident in my goalkicking. I feel fairly relaxed when I'm having a shot and fairly confident within 35-40 metres. (I'm) not the longest kick going around but even the longer ones seem to be going through.

"That's on the back of just working hard at it. Brett Montgomery and I do a lot of goalkicking."

I remind him of Paul Roos's observation earlier this year about Sydney's Jude Bolton; that the veteran midfielder probably had defied history (and the ageing process) by improving in his late 20s.

"I'm probably playing my best footy," Giansiracusa says. "The most confident I've felt is from 27 onwards.

"I didn't really feel comfortable until around that time. Just knowing what it takes to play fairly consistent footy, the work rate involved.

"It's different for different people. Joel Selwood figured it out straight away.

"Probably when 'Rocket' came to the club, I started to feel confident in my own skin, that I could add something to the team."

Gently, I steer him back to the Akermanis comments, including the biting observation: "I'm sorry, but he's not AFL standard.

"As 'Captain Blood' (Jack Dyer) used to say, he's a good ordinary player."

IF Giansiracusa was hurt and angered by the comments, he has recovered.

"I'm telling you the honest truth, he is irrelevant. He's fairly predictable, Jason. Whenever it was going to go bad for the club, he was going to jump all over us.

"There was going to be individuals that copped it and I was one of them.

"I listen to my coaches, my teammates and family . They're the people in my inner sanctum and that's who I listen to and they did tell me how it was -- not like he did -- but they said and I knew I wasn't playing great footy.

"They were there to support me and help me, they're the people I listen to."

Was he wounded? "Not at all."

He hasn't spoken to Akermanis since he acrimoniously left the club during the 2010 season.

There was "a bit of banter" among the boys after Akermanis berated several players including Shaun Higgins and Brian Lake and, of course, Giansiracusa, but "in terms of a serious conversation, no. We take him with a grain of salt".

The man who has played a highly respectable 205 games in 11 seasons has been a popular target for media critics and even supporters of his own club.

I ask if we have been hard on him.

After a long pause, he says: "Yes and no. I haven't really thought about it, to be honest.

"I must have played some good footy to have played as many games."

Then, in an observation that will make even Aker smile, he said: "I'm not a star of the competition ... I probably am a good average player."

We laughed.

HE was quick to add: "I think I've given good service to the footy club and that's what's important to me."

Gia is popular within the club. He has long been seen as a leader and had his supporters for the captaincy after Brad Johnson retired last year.

The job went to Matthew Boyd.

"Look, I was disappointed, but now I think the club made a 100 per cent right decision. There's things that Boydy's done this year not only on the field but off the field that I don't think I would have done.

"He's very resilient, he's ruthless. I think I've got a bit of that in me, but he's been fantastic and I'm there to support him. I think the club definitely made the right decision."

He is content to play his role and help educate a revamped forward line that includes Liam Jones, Jarrad Grant, Andrew Hooper and Luke Dahlhaus.

"That's a good challenge. I really enjoy coming to the club and training and stuff like that, educating them as much as I can and saying 'this what it takes to play good footy'."

At 29, suddenly he is a father figure, and happy in the role.

[Desipura]

At least I was not the only one who thought he should have been dropped. He struggled big time early in the year to the point that I thought his time may have been up.
Unfortunately some thought this was bagging him.
That said he has exceeded a lot of peoples expectations in that he is currently in the best form of his career.

[bornadog]

At least I was not the only one who thought he should have been dropped. He struggled big time early in the year to the point that I thought his time may have been up.
Unfortunately some thought this was bagging him.
That said he has exceeded a lot of peoples expectations in that he is currently in the best form of his career.

and you thought he was protected

[Desipura]

and you thought he was protected

He did not get dropped

[bornadog]

He did not get dropped

Good Decision

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I haven't been Gia's biggest fan either, but he has been absolutely fantastic the last 6 or 7 weeks. His leadership has stepped up - probably a result of confidence. He's working over his opponents every week with multiple, long hard leads. His ball use has always been pretty good, and he's deadly in front of goal. The difference is - he's working much harder. Thus, he's finding space and has improved his defensive game a fair bit too.

At the end of the day, Gia has been a good player for the club. If anything, people get frustrated with him because we all know what he can do.

I have certainly admired this rich vein of form. Been great to watch.

[LostDoggy]

Always thought he has been a pretty consistent player throughout his career, a very underrated player from both Bulldog & opposition supporters.

Very happy to see the way he is playing, makes it easier for me to defend him

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Always thought he has been a pretty consistent player throughout his career, a very underrated player from both Bulldog & opposition supporters.

Very happy to see the way he is playing, makes it easier for me to defend him

It's mainly due to his performances in finals.

Leon Davis is in the exact same category. He's a classy footballer too, but has been absolutely horrible in the big games. The stigma sticks, but you're right - it doesn't make them bad footballers.

[comrade]

At least I was not the only one who thought he should have been dropped.

Yeah Desi, you were the only one on here with the footballing insight and nous to suggest he wasn't playing well early in the year

[Sockeye Salmon]

He did not get dropped

And that's why you cut good players a bit of slack

[Desipura]

Yeah Desi, you were the only one on here with the footballing insight and nous to suggest he wasn't playing well early in the year

No I wasn't, but boy did I cop it from some people!
I'm hoping he continues his great form tomorrow

[Desipura]

And that's why you cut good players a bit of slack

We cut them too much slack

[LostDoggy]

Always thought he has been a pretty consistent player throughout his career, a very underrated player from both Bulldog & opposition supporters.

Very happy to see the way he is playing, makes it easier for me to defend him

Yep, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Gia - always underrated I think! Love that he has hit a rich vein of form

[Topdog]

It's mainly due to his performances in finals.

Leon Davis is in the exact same category. He's a classy footballer too, but has been absolutely horrible in the big games. The stigma sticks, but you're right - it doesn't make them bad footballers.

If Gia gets 2 touches in a GF then you can compare him to Davis.

He hasn't been as good in finals as normal but he has never been anywhere near our worst.

[LostDoggy]

He's the in form small forward in the competition in the last 6 weeks take it or leave it.
All australian form for mine.

Frank.