GWS youngster Aaron Cadman has labelled injured veteran Callan Ward as the Giants' motivation for the rest of the 2025 AFL season.
The Giants' start to the year has had its ebbs and flows, but as the midway point of the season hits, the club is tucked inside the top eight with a record of 7-5. Another year to challenge for the premiership cup is on the cards.
However, if the Giants are to claim a maiden flag, it'll be done without their inaugural leader Ward, who suffered a devastating ACL injury in Round 12's clash with Richmond.
Ward, who was close to retiring in 2024, stayed on one more year while his family moved back to Victoria in hopes the Giants could contend for a grand final appearance. That hope, to be a part of that side, came crashing down within 10 minutes of the Tigers game.
A stirring three-quarter-time speech lifted the Giants to a comeback victory that week, but Ward's impact will continue to live on in the minds of GWS players, especially when the going gets tough.
"It's just more fuel to the fire. Every win we have, I think it's going to be dedicated to him and, making sure that he can be involved in hopefully a premiership," Cadman said to AFL.com.au.
"He doesn't want anything more than for us to go all the way. It's just going be a bit more fuel for every single game this year.
"When times get tough, he's going to be the one that everyone thinks back to and why we're doing this."
Cadman said he was almost brought to tears as Ward addressed the players at the three-quarter-time huddle last week, just by seeing the beloved veteran hunched over his crutches delivering the final message before the GWS fourth quarter surge.
"I was almost tearing up in the huddle just listening to him and I can't remember half of what he said, to be honest. It was just seeing him in front of us, leaning on his crutches, that was such a special moment," Cadman said.
"You could tell straight away that it was a different energy in the air after he spoke to us, even though I can't remember anything that he said really.
"He's openly said that he wouldn't be playing this year if he didn't think we had a real chance at it, so when such a special person in the club goes down like that, it's pretty devastating.
"I was on the bench at the time, I had goosebumps and felt the shivers when he walked off.
"You did find it hard to focus after that, all you're thinking about is your teammate because obviously he means so much to all of us."
AFL clubs have won premierships in dedication to their loyal veterans before. The 2016 Western Bulldogs premiership saw Luke Beveridge hand his premiership medal to captain Bob Murphy, who suffered a season-ending injury in Round 3 that year, while Richmond were able to claim their second flag in their recent dynasty without Alex Rance, who tore his ACL in Round 1.
These stories can give the Giants confidence that the motivation to do it for Ward will hold them in good stead, and potentially drive the club to an emotionally-charged first-ever premiership in 2025.
