GWS skipper Toby Greene believes the Melbourne Demons have made a mistake letting Clayton Oliver leave the club so easily, with the forward left impressed by the Giants star recruit after day one of pre-season.
While question marks linger about Clayton Oliver's focus on footy, given his detailed history of off-field troubles, Greene told media on Monday that has been far from a concern since the 2021 Brownlow Medal runner-up first donned the orange and charcoal colours.
"He's turned up in unbelievable nick. He looks sharp as," Greene said.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can bring to our team, our midfield.
"He's a guy in his prime. Melbourne probably didn't think that but we'll be trying to get that best out of him. He's a guy that's been there and done that and has been one of the better teams in the competition in the last seven or eight years."
The Giants have demonstrated a capability of keeping players with poor off-field track records focused on their footy, notably providing Jake Stringer with an AFL lifeline last year. It resulted in a supreme bounce back season in 2025 for 'The Package', where he was a key figure in GWS' dominant second half of the season.
Greene spotlighted that the small-market nature of GWS, and the club's strong culture, can allow these players to return to their best out of the intense media scrutiny of the Victorian footy bubble.
"It shows we've got a good environment and guys can get the best out of themselves," Greene said.
"We're out of the spotlight as well which helps some individuals. It bodes well for the club and the culture.
"We'll help [Oliver] settle in to start with. He's driven individually, you can see it from the way he trains and what he wants to achieve in the next couple years. We'll make him feel as comfortable as possible but the hard work he'll do himself."
With the retirement of GWS legend Callan Ward last season, Oliver's premiership pedigree and elite skillset provides the Giants' engine room with a much needed boost.
While superstar Tom Green has been dominant, being the only player since Clayton Oliver himself in 2022 to average at least 29 disposals and eight clearances per game, the Giants as a whole have been poor, ranking 13th in clearances this past season.
Oliver's inclusion is something that should light a fire under the vying youngsters in GWS' midfield group, according to Greene, as the pre-season looks to set to determine the group's pecking order for 2026.
"There's certainly a gap left in the locker room. Ward was a huge part of this club for a long time," Greene said.
"In terms of the midfield, we've got lots of the boys who will try to take that spot. He didn't play in the second half of last year and a few guys put their hand up so that's what pre-season will sort out and who gets that.
"For guys like Finn Callaghan, Harry Rowston, those younger midfielders, [Oliver] is a guy to really look up to and learn a bit from."
GWS get their 2026 season underway at ENGIE Stadium on Friday, March 7, in a blockbuster elimination final rematch against Hawthorn.
