GWS keen to avoid belting
Greater Western Sydney won't accept another thrashing in WA and have flown to Perth desperate to atone for their shocking record at Patersons Stadium, according to No.1 draft pick Lachie Whitfield.
Patersons Stadium has been a graveyard for the Giants with losses by 95, 113 and 111 points in their only visits to the ground.
They flew to Perth yesterday to give themselves an extra day to prepare for tomorrow's game.
GWS will be without star trio Heath Shaw (concussion), Stephen Conigilio (thumb) and Adam Treloar (groin) because of injury and face a huge challenge because Fremantle have massacred bottom teams in recent weeks.
They held Brisbane to just three goals and 17 inside 50s in round 14 then conceded only four goals to Melbourne last week.
Whitfield said the Giants knew what to expect from Fremantle and wanted to prove they could handle playing against a premiership contender in Perth.
"We've got a couple of wrongs to right heading back over there," Whitfield said.
"It's not going to be an easy thing. Our form is not very good over in Perth so hopefully we can turn that around.
"They're such a good team and their pressure is probably the best in the comp. Going over to Perth and having to play a team like that is quite hard so we've just got to focus on trying to level their pressure and fight fire with fire to give ourselves a chance."
Whitfield said Coniglio's and Treloar's absence in the midfield had given other players opportunities which they'd been craving.
The club's reserves team constantly has top-10 draft picks playing in the NEAFL as they wait for their chance in the AFL.
The massive array of young talent at GWS has also allowed Whitfield to play without the usual pressures associated with being a No.1 draft pick.
Jonathon Patton, Tom Boyd and Tom Scully are the other No.1s on their list.
Whitfield said he had enjoyed being able to play without the usual expectations, particularly in a non-football State.
"I have loved it," he said.
"Coming up to Sydney, it's pretty crazy. I didn't think it would be so heavily rugby based.
"You don't see much of it (AFL) in the papers or on the news. I've gone under the radar, a bit lucky I haven't had the pressure of being the No.1 pick in Melbourne."
