Code-hopper Israel Folau left the Giants. Setanta could replace him as a forward. Source: The Daily Telegraph
COACH Kevin Sheedy has earmarked Setanta O'hAilpin to take the place of departed fellow code-hopper Israel Folau in the GWS Giants team.
Irishman O'hAilpin, 29, suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament knee injury in his first senior game with the Giants in 2012 but recently signed a new one-year contract.
With struggling marquee player Folau returning to rugby league, a role has opened for O'hAilpin who played Gaelic Football and hurling before starting his 81-game AFL career at Carlton.
He can play as a forward and ruckman, but also has the capacity to play down back.
"His (O'hAilpin's) passion is brilliant, you can't beat it," said Sheedy on Monday.
He's one of the most passionate people I've met in AFL. He'll be our replacement for Folau."
O'hAilpin was grateful for the chance but admitted some apprehension.
"I've been fortunate to get another opportunity from the Giants, so hopefully I can repay their faith and have a good season," O'hAilpin told AAP.
"It's a big test for me. They say when people come back from an ACL (injury), it's one of their hardest years."
Sheedy felt he could potentially play both O'hAilpin and Adelaide forward-ruckman Kurt Tippett, who remains a Giants' target.
And he said his many youngsters were about to experience real pressure for the first time in the club's second season of AFL.
"We'll come out of this draft in two weeks with seven players and five of them are going to be in the first 14 picks, so the pressure will be on for selection for the first time," Sheedy said.
He didn't expect GWS to suffer another run of hidings like they did in the middle of the 2012 campaign, but wanted them to significantly reduce their losing margins.
"We'll be extremely competitive and if you did win four games or more, that would be fantastic," Sheedy said.
Meanwhile, Sheedy is looking to extend his time at the fledgling AFL club with a possible director of football role after handing the head coaching reins to Leon Cameron following his second season in charge of the Giants in 2013.
"After I stop coaching, probably I'll be a director of football, in charge of footy basically in certain roles," Sheedy said on Monday.
GWS chief executive David Matthews confirmed the club was planning to discuss a role of that type with Sheedy.
"I'd like to see him linked with the Giants and involved with the Giants for forever and a day, because he's been one of the architects and one of the builders," Matthews said.
"He's just such a positive force, not just around our club, but around Greater Western Sydney generally.
"He's got so much to contribute in football and other areas too so we'll work out something that hopefully satisfies his desire to keep building things beyond 2013."
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