Exciting youngster Harvey Thomas is confident the GIANTS’ best football isn’t far away as they look to bounce back from a pair of down performances in a Friday night blockbuster against the Pies. 

After falling short to the Saints by four points over the weekend - despite a much-improved second half and a thrilling final-quarter comeback - the GIANTS now have the chance to respond on a big stage against the Pies at Marvel Stadium on Friday night. 

With lessons from Saturday’s loss front of mind, Thomas says the group is focused on turning those learnings into action as they aim to return to the brilliant form shown in the club’s Opening Round win over the Hawks.  

“Execution and fundamentals will be a big part of our review,” Thomas said. 

“We just weren’t able to play clean footy and get our hands on the ball as much as we would have liked. They’re simple things, but really important, and we know we can be better in those areas.” 

Despite the result, there were still promising signs against the Saints, with a much-improved second half reinforcing the belief within the group that their best is more than enough. 

“Every time we play, I’ve got confidence we can produce that kind of footy,” Thomas said, referencing the second-half surge that saw the GIANTS kick five of the last six goals to get within four points with less than 30 seconds remaining. 

“It’s just about doing it consistently for four quarters,” Thomas added.  

“We’ve shown in patches, like in the Hawks game and again in the second half on the weekend, so now it’s about putting it all together.” 

As well as a more consistent performance from a team perspective, Thomas will also be hoping he can continue his own stellar form on Friday after a brilliant start to the season following a role change from the forward line to playing as a permanent winger in 2026.  

After having registered 20 or more disposals just three times across his entire first two seasons, Thomas has now achieved the feat in three straight games to start the 2026 season, highlighting his ability to thrive in his new role on the wing.  

“I’ve really enjoyed it,” he said. 

“I’ve played bits and pieces there before, but this year I’ve been able to settle into it more. You’re around the ball a bit more, which has been great, and it’s helped me add another layer to my game.” 

Thomas believes the move has come at the right time in his development as the 20-year-old looks to embrace the opportunity to step into a bigger role after spending the majority of his first two seasons as a small forward.  

“I’d been playing a similar role [up forward] for a couple of years, so it was a good chance to develop something new,” he said. 

“Also, with Josh Kelly being out [injured], there was a spot there, and someone had to fill it.” 

Like many of the club’s emerging youngsters, Thomas is also benefiting from the increased confidence that another pre-season and summer in the weights room brings.  

“I’m definitely getting more comfortable,” he said.  

“Part of that is just being in your third year - you feel better in your body. 

“But also, after a few years, you start to understand how things work out on the field. I’ve still got to keep improving, but I’m feeling better every game, like a lot of the young boys.” 

Despite his encouraging individual form, Thomas’ focus remains firmly on team success. 

“At the end of the day, we haven’t been winning games. You can feel like you’re playing well, but if you’re not getting wins, it doesn’t count for much. There are always ways to improve, and that’s what I’ll keep focusing on.” 

Part of that improvement for Thomas includes becoming a more damaging player, particularly in attack. 

“I just want to be consistent. I also want to take my game to another level in terms of being more damaging. Even as a winger, you want to be able to hit the scoreboard. 

“But it’s also about being a threat when I’ve got the ball and adding different layers to my game so I’m not one-dimensional. 

“In my first couple of years, I was fortunate to play games, but maybe I wasn’t as damaging or as much of a threat as I’d like. That’s something I’m working on this year and beyond.” 

The GIANTS will have the perfect opportunity to respond this Friday night when they take on Collingwood at Marvel Stadium, with Thomas embracing the chance to perform on a big stage. 

“It’s exciting,” he said. 

“Especially after a disappointing couple of weeks, now we get the chance to play at Marvel on a Friday night. 

“We’ll be fired up and ready to go. It’d be great to see GIANTS fans show up, especially going up against a big Collingwood crowd. I’m really excited for it. 

“That said, our main priority this week is turning our form around. The Friday night aspect just adds a bit more excitement.”