‘We won’t be making up the numbers’

Published by
Ben Pahor

New Greater Western Sydney recruits Matt de Boer and Tendair Mzungu are adamant they will not simply be making up the numbers at the Giants this season.

The pair were delisted by Fremantle at the end of last season, as the Dockers looked to refresh their list, before they were both thrown a lifeline and picked up by the Giants in the national and rookie drafts.

With the plethora of talent at the Giants, a spot in the side's best 22 will be hard to come by, but the pair are certain they will revive their careers and make an impact at their new club.

“We’re not putting any limits on ourselves,” de Boer said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.

“We won’t be making up the numbers. We want to knock the door down as quickly as possible and get on the game plan and build relationships with the boys so we can really contribute.

“It was certainly disappointing and not the way I wanted it to end (at Fremantle).

“I’m grateful for my time there and it couldn’t have worked out better. I’m a smarter and better footballer for having played under Ross Lyon.”

“You feel a bit like a draftee but I’ve got the benefit of eight years in the system, working in a structured environment and playing finals. We come here with confidence but also no sense of entitlement. We’ve told Leon (Cameron) we want to have an impact on and off the field.”

De Boer, 26, played 138 games in eight seasons at the Dockers, while Mzungu, 30, played 102 games in six years.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 17: Tendai M'Zungu poses during a Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL portrait session on January 17, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

“The Giants are a maturing list,” Mzungu said.

“We’ve seen a massive work ethic among them. Matt and I think we can both add to that. We’ve played finals football and worked in a structured environment. It doesn’t get us a game but if an opportunity presents we’re ready to take it.”

Published by
Ben Pahor