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One sleep from their opening-round Collingwood date, GWS coach Adam Kingsley insists his side are seeking more than revenge after last year's finals loss.
Greater Western Sydney are not out for retribution ahead of their opening-round preliminary finals rematch against Collingwood, coach Adam Kingsley insists.
Five months on from their last meeting, the Giants' finals heartbreak still lingers as they prepare to host the reigning premiers and their raucous faithful in Sydney on Saturday night.
With the Giants unable to overwhelm the Magpies with their 'orange tsunami' playing style, Collingwood clung on in a one-point thriller to advance to - and win - the grand final.
Giants skipper Toby Greene was a picture of raw devastation, in tears and consoled by family members at the MCG after his side's fairytale season under first-year coach Kingsley was brought to a grinding halt.
Kingsley conceded it would be wrong not to embrace the heartbreak but was resolute about moving on.
"The emotions are going to be an interesting one," the coach said on Friday.
"They beat us last year - there's not a lot we can do about that.
"Winning for us is all about getting our season off to a great start.
"It's nothing about retribution, because we'll never be able to do anything about what was in the prelim."
Sydney's humidity is forecast to be in full force for Saturday's clash and Kingsley expected the conditions to give the Magpies plenty to think about.
Melbourne struggled with the close conditions in their season-opening clash against Sydney on Thursday night, losing by 22 points after fumbling their way around the SCG turf.
"As we saw last night, it's going to be slippery. The ball was on the ground a lot so we took a bit out of that," Kingsley said.
"We would expect the same thing on Saturday night, so we'll be well prepared.
"We train in humidity anyway. Whatever the conditions are, we're ready to go."
Key forward Jesse Hogan and defender Lachie Ash return to the side after being rested for last week's pre-season hit-out win over Gold Coast, while Harvey Thomas is set to make his debut.
A left-footed half-forward, the Giants academy product impressed in his first pre-season at the club after being taken with pick 59 in the 2023 draft.
Collingwood will have their own debutants in Charlie Dean and former Fremantle forward Lachie Schultz.
Dean's first senior appearance comes 834 days after being the second pick of the 2021 rookie draft.
The key defender has played only three VFL games for the club in that time due to persistent foot injuries.
