Giant Luke Power. Photo: Janie Barrett JEM

It's been over three AFL seasons since Leigh Matthews' last directive from the coach's box, but his influence around the league continues to resonate - as far as the vast surrounds of western Sydney.

Matthews ended a productive stint at Brisbane in 2008, but much like Kevin Sheedy at Essendon, he left the club having planted the coaching seed in some of the AFL's sharpest minds.

The latest sapling to sprout is Luke Power at Greater Western Sydney.

The 32-year-old is the Giants' most experienced co-captain, and one of a handful of old hands to juggle coaching and playing duties.

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While Power did a lot of the same for much of the 282 games he played with the Lions - guiding young players through the rigours of AFL - the official coaching tag has come with a greater understanding of tactics.

"It's pretty similar, but now there's a lot more involvement in how (GWS coach) Kevin (Sheedy) and (assistant coach) Mark (Williams) want our game to be played," Power says.

"We (the playing coaches) are probably a lot more over it, just because we're dealing with it every day. We're running meetings, sitting in on important meetings that decide the way we're going to play. I guess that's the big change. We're living it a little bit more.

"We're all learning all the time. I'm learning, one - about myself. But also learning about the industry and seeing it from a different perspective."

Excerpt from:
Power loving life as GWS's big brother