When and Where: 

Saturday, August 19 at 4:35pm 
GIANTS Stadium | Wangal Country

What it Means for the GIANTS: 

It’s simple. If the GIANTS win both of their last two games and they’ll play finals football. But lose just one of those games, starting with the Bombers on Saturday, and the GIANTS’ finals dreams are more like a nightmare.

While September is still weeks away, GIANTS vice-captain Josh Kelly said the matchup with the Bombers was being treated as an elimination final.  

With just two rounds left, in the tightest finals race seen in decades, just two games separate 6^th placed St Kilda from the 12^th placed Crows in a thrilling finale to the home and away season.  

With both the GIANTS (10^th) and the Bombers (9^th) sitting smack bang in the middle of the chasing pack, a loss for either side would likely to snuff out any chance of September action.

Last Time We Met: 

It was the Bombers who got the four points when the two sides last met in round four, with Essendon overcoming an inaccurate day in front of the sticks to register an 11.22 (88) to 11.9 (75) win under the roof at Marvel Stadium.

The Bombers’ inaccuracy, along with the GIANTS’ ability to make the most of their opportunities, saw the men in orange hold a 10-point half time lead as Essendon registered just 3.13 (31) from their 16 scoring shots. 

The Bombers were able to straighten up however, kicking five goals in the third term to hold a six-point lead at the final break before holding on for a 13-point win. 

Tom Green (34 disposals, 17 contested possessions, five clearances), Josh Kelly (28 disposals, two goals, six tackles), and Callan Ward (22 disposals, two goals) were the GIANTS’ best in the tough loss.  Skipper Toby Greene (18 disposals, 2.2) also performed well.  

For the Bombers, usual suspects Darcy Parish (30 disposals, seven clearances) and Zach Merrett (28 disposals, one goal) were standouts in the win, while Jake Stringer was wayward but damaging with four goals and six behinds from his 15 touches.

Where’s the opposition at?  

Essendon, like the GIANTS, is one of several teams fighting it out for the last spots inside the top eight on the cusp of finals.

Sitting in 9^th on the same number of wins as the 10^th placed GIANTS, Essendon are also tied on points with the 8^th placed Western Bulldogs and just half a game behind the 7^th placed Swans. 

The Bombers will enter the clash at GIANTS Stadium searching for a three-game winning streak following a thrilling one-point win over the Eagles and a nine-point win over North Melbourne last week.   

In the win over the Kangaroos, the Bombers overcame a five-point halftime deficit with a five goal third quarter before holding off a gallant Kangaroo outfit inspired by retiring veteran Ben Cunnington.

In a tough and tight clash where neither team led by more than 15 points, the Bombers prevailed 13.8 (86) to 12.5 (77) to keep their finals hopes alive ahead of the clash with the GIANTS.

Hard-running wingman Nic Martin (32 disposals, three goals) was best on ground in the win, while Kyle Langford (16 disposals, 3 goals) and Darcy Parish (33 disposals, nine clearances, 10 inside 50s) continued their strong seasons.

GIANTS Player to Watch: 

There’s no denying GIANTS star Tom Green has taken his game to another level to sit comfortably in All Australian contention this season as one of the competition’s premier onballers.

After Green’s career-best year was recently haltered with a hamstring injury, forcing him to miss three games, the 22-year-old has continued on his merry way in his return over the past two weeks, registering back-to-back monster games against Sydney and Port Adelaide.

The 193cm hulking inside midfielder collected an equal career-high 38 disposals against the Swans, to go along with 10 tackles, before another huge performance against the Power, collecting 31 touches to go along with two goals and six tackles.

Green sits second in the AFL in average disposals at a clip of 31.5 per game, to go along with 5.7 clearances, and 5.5 tackles per game.  

Up against an Essendon midfield consisting of elite duo Zach Merrett and Darcy Parish, Green’s ball-winning prowess and ability to bring teammates into the game will be crucial to the GIANTS’ mission of bringing down the Bombers.

In the Mix:  

A number of changes look likely at the GIANTS’ selection table with important small forward duo Toby Bedford and Brent Daniels both available after serving their respective one-match suspensions.

Their availability would be a welcome sight for coach Adam Kingsley who missed two of his best pressure players in the tough loss to Port Adelaide last week. 

The GIANTS’ number one pick Aaron Cadman also put his hand up for a recall against the Bombers, with the athletic key forward dominating in the VFL last week with eight goals to go along with 21 disposals and 12 marks.

Zippy onballer James Peatling (38 disposals, 11 clearances, eight tackles) was also impressive at VFL level while returning ruckman Brayden Preuss (20 disposals, 26 hitouts) made a successful return from a long-term back injury.

The GIANTS will be hoping the emerging midfielder Finn Callaghan (Achilles) can pass a fitness test to return this week, while Ryan Angwin is also in contention to return after missing last week due to illness.  

VFL:

Geelong v GIANTS
Saturday, August 19 at 11:05am
GMHBA Stadium | Wadawurrung Country

Rehab Report:

Get a full injury update ahead Saturday’s clash with Essendon here.

Where to watch: 

Saturday’s match will be shown live on Fox Footy and Kayo nationally and on 7 Mate in NSW and the ACT from 4.30pm.

The GIANTS have put one foot in the finals with a club record score as Jesse Hogan booted nine goals in a stunning 126-point triumph over Essendon at GIANTS Stadium.

The ruthless GIANTS crushed a lacklustre Bombers outfit to give both their percentage and finals chances a huge boost with a 25.12 (162) to 5.6 (36) thumping on Saturday night. 

The GIANTS lifted their percentage from 98.6 to 105.6 and sent a warning shot across the competition, but might still need to win its round 24 clash with Carlton and hope other results go its way to finish in the top eight.

The Bombers are now all but out of the finals race as they were outplayed from the early exchanges and looked to be limping to the line, while the GIANTS started strongly and powered away.

Hogan made the most of a superb all-round performance from his side to bag a career-high haul, while being a key to the result with 17 marks and 24 disposals.

Gun onballer Tom Green (39 disposals, 18 contested, nine clearances) was also crucial, as were veterans Stephen Coniglio (31 touches), Josh Kelly and Callan Ward (both 30).

The GIANTS made an early statement in the virtual elimination final as they booted 13.5 to 2.1 in the opening half while controlling the ball with 208-158 disposals and territory with 40-20 inside 50s.

Brent Daniels lit up the contest late in the opening term after marking just inside the boundary and bending a banana kick through from 40m for his second of three goals for the match.

The GIANTS proved to be too polished from there and was able to manage Toby Greene by subbing out the captain in the third term.

Andrew McGrath (32 disposals), Zach Merrett (27) and Darcy Parish (25) found plenty of the ball for the Bombers, but had little impact as the Giants cruised over the top of them.

The Bombers swung a late change with Jake Stringer moved from the starting 22 into the sub role on his return from a foot injury, replaced by Jye Caldwell.

Stringer entered the match when the game was already well and truly out of reach and ended with 11 disposals.

Essendon faces ladder leader Collingwood on Friday night, while the GIANTS will be out to lock in a finals spot in the last game of the round against Carlton on Sunday.

Hogan takes no prisoners in blinding display

A lot was expected of Jesse Hogan since he arrived on the AFL scene and he has, occasionally, delivered, but never like he did on Saturday. The former Demon and Docker slotted a career-high nine goals, took an astonishing 17 marks - a couple followed by inexplicably unselfish pass offs to teammates - and scored a massive 192 AFL Fantasy points. At 28 years of age Hogan isn't exactly an unknown quantity, but his performance against Essendon will have opposition teams drawing up contingency plans ahead of finals now they know exactly what he's capable of.

GIANTS                                    7.3    13.5    20.6    25.12 (162)
ESSENDON                                1.0     2.1      4.4      5.6 (36)

GOALS

GIANTS: Hogan 9, Daniels 3, Greene 2, Bedford 2, Riccardi, Lloyd, Himmelberg, Green, Fahey, Coniglio, Brown, Ash, McMullin
Essendon: Langford 2, Phillips, Menzie, Caldwell

BEST

GIANTS: Hogan, Green, Coniglio, Himmelberg, Ward, Whitfield, Kelly
Essendon: Parish, Hind, McGrath, Merrett

INJURIES

GIANTS: TBC
Essendon: TBC

SUBSTITUTES

GIANTS: Toby McMullin (replaced Toby Greene in the third quarter)
Essendon: Jake Stringer (replaced Matt Guelfi in the second quarter)