By JARROD POTTER
GETTING through the NAB Cup unscathed was the first step in the right direction for Greater Western Sydney’s Matthew Buntine.
Buntine, 20, originally from Berwick, has not enjoyed previous years’ pre-season campaigns as he endured a punctured lung in 2013 after a sickening collision with another former Berwick player – Carlton’s Levi Casboult.
But there were no devastating setbacks to his 2015 campaign as Buntine featured in all three of the Giants NAB Challenge matches – he was among the best afield against Essendon, snaring 16 disposals and eight marks.
“Year before I got knocked out in the first NAB Cup… so NAB matches haven’t been too friendly to me,” Buntine said.
“But I’ve had a clean bill of health through this period and I’ll be ready to rock.”
Buntine has connected well with Greater Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron and said the side has toiled in the pre-season to try and catch up to the finals-calibre teams they’re trying to hunt down.
“Leon took over last year so obviously he’s trying to implement a few things… the second season he’s in charge, and he’s made a lot of ground in a lot of areas,” Buntine said.
“We’re trying to gauge our game on a few things we’re deficient in.
“It’s been a longer pre-season than normal, which has allowed a lot of the boys to get super fit and we’re really ready to hopefully have a good start to the year.”
If everything links up for Greater Western Sydney, and the side amends many of the simple mistakes that dogged their 2014 season, Buntine believes there’s every chance his side can push towards the top eight.
We’re really ready to take on the league this year and to win as many games as possible by fronting up and making a contest,” Buntine said.
“Last year we were quite dismal in the few of the games, so this year we want to be a very competitive unit.
“Finals are a hope, but we just need to become a four-quarter team and really become competitors.”
While he wasn’t part of the Round 1 line-up, Buntine’s Giants started the season on a strong note knocking off St Kilda 12.15 (85) to 11.12 (78). They now face Melbourne in their first home match of the year on Saturday.
