Advice from Giants teammate Stephen Coniglio and triple AFL premiership winner Luke Power has helped All-Australian half-back Lachie Whitfield deal with being tagged.
The Giants speedster has spent almost all of the season in the back half, but could find himself on the wing for Saturday's semi-final against Collingwood at the MCG.
Whitfield spent much of last week's elimination final against Sydney on the wing, as half-back flanker Zac Williams made his long awaited return from injury.
"It was pretty seamless, it's kind of like riding a bike. You don't really forget how to play that position especially when you play it for five years like I have," Whitfield said.
He has racked up a career-best 26 possessions a game this season, but has had to deal with tags in some games, as opponents looked to curb his influence.
Whitfield turned to midfielder Coniglio and former GWS assistant coach and current AFL Academy coach Power for advice.
"After that round three game against Sydney I spoke with Steve and Luke, players that have been tagged heavily before," Whitfield said.
"Luke was really good for me, he's been a strong mentor of mine for many years now and he was a lighter framed player that got tagged week in, week out, so he taught me some little tricks.
"I guess it's just something that you kind of have to take as a compliment, because they are trying to stop my influence at times in a game.
"First of all, you've just got to push through it and then realise I'm actually playing in defence, so it's just important to defend first and then try and break it."
Whitfield had never played the position previously, having filled wing and midfield roles through his junior days and the first few years of his AFL career.
However, Nathan Wilson's move to Fremantle and a long-term achilles injury to Williams deprived the Giants of much of their rebound and run off half-back and resulted in Whitfield's positional shift.
"I was just flung back there. I didn't really know what to expect, but things have sort of panned out thus far," he said.
"It's definitely been my most enjoyable year of footy."
