It’s the Giants’ turn to unleash their next big star.
The No.3 pick in last year’s AFL draft, 192cm midfielder Finn Callaghan, will make his much-anticipated debut against reigning premier Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday night.
Fellow prized draftees Jason Horne-Francis, Nick Daicos and Josh Rachele stole the headlines with scintillating starts to their career, whereas Callaghan’s operated in relative obscurity in the VFL.
That is about to change – and he might not go back, given how impressive he’s been at second-tier level since shaking a pre-season foot injury.
“It’s obviously great to see other boys in your draft year doing really well, and I think that will give me confidence that I’ll be able to play just as good as they are,” Callaghan said.
“Obviously, it’s going to be a really tough game, but if these boys are doing it, I sort of think, ‘Why can’t I?’. That’s my attitude going into it.”
Callaghan doesn’t know where he will play on Saturday – or wasn’t revealing it – but he’s averaged 26 disposals, five clearances and a goal on a wing and in the midfield for Greater Western Sydney’s reserves.
A similar role for Leon Cameron’s senior side could see him going head-to-head with hard-running Demon Ed Langdon at different stages.
“I’m sure if I’m playing on the wing or on the ball there will be great players that I will play against, but it would be great to play on Langdon for a little bit, because I’ve watched him really closely,” Callaghan said.
“He’s an amazing winger – definitely one of the best in the competition – so to play on him would be a great experience and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Most promising of all for the Giants is how the Sandringham Dragons graduate has fallen in love with Sydney since relocating from Melbourne.
He’s living with fellow 2021 draftees Leek Aleer and Cooper Hamilton and was off to one of the city’s beaches once his media duties were complete.
“Little things like that, that we don’t have in Melbourne, just make Sydney so good. I’m really loving it up here,” Callaghan said.
xjmtzywCo-captain Josh Kelly, who broke the news of Callaghan’s debut to the playing group on Wednesday, has served as the teenager’s mentor since he arrived at the club.
Kelly’s famously fastidious weekly regimen hasn’t fully rubbed off on his more laid-back teammate but Callaghan has already made changes.
“I do eat lots more fish now, like lots of salmon,” Callaghan said.
“That’s something from just chatting with Josh and I did a bit of research myself, because I wanted to help my foot and that’s an anti-inflammatory food.”
Friends and family are lining up for tickets to the game, which will be the 18-year-old’s first playing experience at the MCG since featuring at half-time of a Hawthorn-Collingwood match as an Auskicker in 2010.
There will be bigger stakes this time around and he expects to be riddled with nerves until the ball is bounced.
“It’s been my dream for a very long time, ever since I started playing footy,” Callaghan said. “It’s just super exciting and a very proud moment for me and my family. “
