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Motivated by the heartbreak of their 2023 preliminary final loss, GWS defender Sam Taylor says his side can go full-throttle against any opposition anywhere.
Greater Western Sydney defender Sam Taylor walks into every game believing his side can win against anyone anywhere.
It's a conviction that many football minds would have scoffed at less than two years ago, and even Taylor admits his bullishness had been lacking until recently.
But if the Giants' fairytale season under coach Adam Kingsley last year failed to convince the footy world of their premiership quality, their red-hot start to the 2024 season would have got the doubters over the line.
At 2-0 after thumping Collingwood and North Melbourne, former rank outsiders GWS have edged out fierce rivals Sydney by percentage to lead the ladder - and they intend for it to stay that way.
"I've never been this confident,' Taylor told AAP.
"I've always been like 'If we do the right things, we can win', but there's always doubt against the really good teams.
"Now, if we come in with good attitude and effort and play our system, I don't see any way we can get beaten."
Asked where that confidence comes from, Taylor was candid.
"The loss against Collingwood in the prelim stings a lot, and that is still with all the players that played that game," the All-Australian defender said.
"We had so much more to give that year. We were still building. We were still healthy and ready to crack on to the grand final. That's just what hurts the most.
"But it does give us motivation - that motivation through the pre-season to get better and work on that one per cent.
"That one per cent can turn that one-point loss into a few goals' win. We want to go one step further and we won't leave one stone unturned."
On the search for their third consecutive win, GWS will make the five-hour flight to Perth to take on competition strugglers West Coast.
"It's a lot better being the hunter," Taylor said.
"When you go into a game, you feel like you've got full freedom and there's no pressure.
"Now being hunted, there's expectations. We're expected to win.
"But I feel like, with the group we have, I'm pretty happy to embrace being the hunted.
"We can get the win no matter who we 'verse' and where we go."
