Tom Plunkett drawing inspiration from wife Micaela and baby daughter Macey

At 31, Plunkett is the elder statesman of a Giants side which has never gone this deep into September since he arrived from Lavington in 2016.

Plunkett was considering retirement earlier in the year but the birth of daughter Macey, eight weeks ago, has breathed fresh energy into his whole life, let alone football.

And with the Giants riding the crest of a wave heading into the blockbuster against reigning premiers Holbrook at Walbundrie, he admitted he'd be mad to turn his back on the buzz which continues to grow under co-coaches Daniel Athanitis and Jack Duck.

"If you'd asked me a month ago, I probably would have said this would be my final year," Plunkett admitted.

"But coming into the finals, I've got a new-found taste for it.

"Before Macey was born, I was trying to renovate the house and footy probably wasn't my priority but since she's come along, it's given me a new-found love for the game.

"Being able to run around on a Saturday and have her and (wife) Micaela watch me, it's a nice feeling, very humbling."

Becoming a father has been a whirlwind experience for the self-employed carpenter - and Plunkett wouldn't have it any other way.

"Trying to find the right words isn't easy," Plunkett smiled.

"It's been amazing so far, a lot more responsibility but I've got a new-found appreciation for my wife and what she's done over the last couple of months.

"With me being able to work away, she's had to pick the reins up a fair bit around the place and I just have the utmost respect for her.

"Sometimes when I'm looking for a bit of extra fight, to push myself in a game, I just think back to who's watching me on the sidelines and I couldn't any prouder as a father and as a husband, having those two by my side."

Plunkett, who won premierships in thirds and reserves at Lavington, has played 83 senior games for the Giants since following Myles Aalbers out to the bush.

"I only planned to do it for a couple of years but I haven't looked back," Plunkett said.

"Since being there, I've picked up a wife and a daughter which is more than I'd bargained for!

"I've enjoyed it massively.

"My brother-in-law, Mason, plays in the same side and the other brother-in-law is the president so it feels very much my family club."

Plunkett and the Giants go in as underdogs against Holbrook but there is no shortage of belief on a day when they hope the planets will align.

"I'm absolutely pumped," Plunkett said.

"I've been out there since 2016 and I've only played in three winning finals so to make it to a prelim, I'm excited for the challenge and what Saturday is going to bring.

"There were no expectations on us at the start of the year.

"Jack and Daniel haven't put any expectations on anyone, they've just implemented a game plan that suits the players who are coming up and through and a lot of them are from the 17s last year who have actually taken that big step in the right direction.

"Jack and I are the older blokes now and a lot of the younger brigade coming through are keeping us feeling young.

"It's a breath of fresh air because the last couple of years, we've been a bit older and with a bit of a turnover in the off-season, we've had to heavily rely on these younger kids coming through.

"It's paying dividends at the moment."

It sounds like Micaela and Macey will have cheer squad duties again in 2024.

"If you'd asked me a month ago, I probably would have said this would be my final year," Plunkett admitted.

"But the last couple of weeks, it would certainly be hard to walk away from it, especially with how we've progressed this year and what there is in the future because it's pretty exciting at the Giants at the moment.

"It's just incredible.

"You can look around the room before the game and in the warm-up and you know everyone's on and wants to buy in because they know we have something special this year.

"Around the club, we know our best footy can match it with any of the top teams and hopefully we can do the same this weekend."

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