Foundation GWS coach Kevin Sheedy says critics of the Giants' rise to a preliminary final are "sooks and whingers" that need to "get a life".
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Many believe the Giants have been handed a path to success since their 2009 inception, with draft and zone concessions allowing the club to assemble a top-four quality list in only their fifth season and compete for a spot in the 2016 Grand Final against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.
Sheedy, who stepped down as coach at the end of 2013, believes frustrated clubs are just making excuses for their own failures, citing Hawthorn's rise from nearly merging with Melbourne to winning four premierships in the last eight years.
"People can walk around with negatives all of their lives ... tell them to get a life," Sheedy told Fox Sports
"I had a person tell me the other day, ‘look, it’s very unfair for Melbourne clubs with the Giants making it’.
"I said ‘go back to Hawthorn 20 years ago when they nearly merged with Melbourne’. They didn’t sit there and sulk. They got out and worked their butts off and have (won) what, three premierships, nearly four, and been in grand final after grand final.
"That’s what whingers and sooks should go and look at. The reconstruction of Hawthorn has been one of the best deals ever done and built in the AFL."
The AFL legend said that many former Giants players were now thriving away from Spotless Stadium and called on other clubs to improve their planning and structures.
"Everybody forgets the Giants have cleared over 20 players back to all the other clubs, with Collingwood leading the way and Carlton," Sheedy said.
"If you want to make a success of your club, get your act together and start planning better than what they previously have done, and that’s including the Richmonds and all the other clubs that feel ‘oh, it’s been a hard period’.
"Well, it hasn’t been hard for Hawthorn and Geelong."