Riverina footballers Matt Flynn and Jeremy Finlayson have serious goals and simmering challenges ahead in 2019.
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But some things are more important than that.
"To see the smiles on the kids faces," Finlayson said, forming part of a quartet of Greater Western Sydney Giants footballers at Wagga Base Hospital on Thursday.
"We're here now at the children's ward which is pretty cool. This is the most exciting thing I've been looking forward to today.
"As a kid growing up, you always wanted to see AFL players. These guys that don't have it the best, just to see their smiles, it's good."
Finlayson hails from Culcairn. Flynn from Narrandera.
"It's awesome getting back to where you grew up. And giving back to the community in a way is really good," Flynn said.
"I remember when I was young having (Sydney Swans star) Kieren Jack come to my school, I thought it was the absolute bees' knees. So to be in that position and giving back in that way is awesome."
When Flynn 'was young' isn't all that long ago.
But time is relative for a 21-year-old itching to make his AFL debut, three years after he was drafted.
It looks like his time is drawing closer after the 200cm Giant played two JLT Series pre-season games against Sydney and Adelaide.
"I think it showed me that being a ruck, it does take time. But at the same time, I took a lot of confidence out, that once I was given the opportunity I was able to play some okay football," Flynn said.,
"It wasn't, obviously, unbelievable footy but it's football that I was proud of playing. So it gives me a lot of confidence going into the season that wherever I'm playing, in the ones or the twos, I'll be able to produce some good footy and put my hand up for selection as soon as possible."
Getting an AFL game to his name was Flynn's goal last year. That desire burns more fiercely than ever now.
With ruckmen Dawson Siimpson and the returning Shane Mumford at the Giants, Flynn said he's trying to develop as a forward to add another element to his game.
But there's no watering down the long-term ambition.
"Last year, it was a goal to make my debut. Obviously that didn't happen so this year it's an even bigger goal and I guess looking further down the track, I'd love to be able to establish myself as the Giants' number one ruckman for years to come," he said.
"So I guess you've got to start small and play one, two, three, four, five games and then go from there. I've definitely got some goals in place to hopefully end up in the future establishing myself as the Giants number one ruck."
His teammate, Finlayson, also wants to add another element to his game with coaching staff working on a different role for the backman, as a potential defensive forward.
He turned 22 last month and is at a different stage on the learning curve, after some early injury setbacks.
Debuting late in 2017, the 196cm Finlayson appeared to arrive early last year with some big performances on the way to 14 games for the season.
"It's come off the back of full pre-seasons," Finlayson said of his bright start.
"My first two years I've had both hips done and I've had niggles everywhere. My 14 games was off the back of a full pre-season and I've done the same this year, so hopefully I can play a few more games and play some finals."
Finlayson's form didn't hold up and he missed the Giants' finals campaign of last year (which was ended by Collingwood on their way to the premiership).
"My goal is just to play more games, to help the side out a bit more, try and find a way to improve my game, and help the boys got that one step closer… we want that ultimate goal at the end of the year, just like everyone else," he said of this year's challenge.
Finlayson loves playing down back with Phil Davis and Heath Shaw ("It makes you a better player") but with the Giants to face Essendon, West Coast Eagles and Richmond in the first three rounds, his role could be at the other end of the ground trying to limit the effect of key opposition players like Michael Hurley, Jeremy McGovern and Alex Rance.
This week though, Finlayson got his kicks out of visiting the hospital and schools back in the Riverina, where football is familiar to almost everyone.
He and Flynn are old enough to have noticed the changes the Giants are making off the field as well as on it in their home city.
"When we used to go out and do community visits in western Sydney, or even just around where we are in Balmain and that, no-one would know what AFL is and who the Giants were," Flynn said.
"But now heading out to western Sydney it's ridiculous how many people know football, how many kids play football, how many kids know who the Giants are and (having) guys like Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio getting recognised.
"It's a huge change but it's great for the club."
In another three years, western Sydney might be fully aware of Flynn and Finlayson too.
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