The GIANTS will play on ANZAC Day for just the second time in club history as they host the Lions in a blockbuster at Manuka Oval on Thursday night.

Match Details 

GIANTS v Lions
Thursday, April 25 at 7:30pm
Manuka Oval | Ngunnawal Country

Milestone

Star defender Jack Buckley will celebrate his 50th AFL game against the Lions on Thursday. 

What it Means for the GIANTS 

The GIANTS will be out to return to the winners’ list against the Lions after their record-breaking start to 2024 came to an end last week with a 19-point loss to Carlton at Marvel Stadium.

Prior to being beaten by the Blues, the GIANTS opened their 2024 campaign with five straight wins, the most victories to start a season in club history.

Up by 20 points in the third term, the GIANTS were blitzed by a run of six goals in 14 minutes by the Blues on Saturday who went on to run out 17.15 (117) to 15.8 (98) winners.

The first loss of the season was compounded by one-match suspensions to skipper Toby Greene and star forward Jesse Hogan for separate incidents in the clash, with their availability against the Lions pending the outcome of Tuesday night’s tribunal after the club challenged both rulings.

Still sitting third on the AFL table after a blistering start to the season, the GIANTS will look to regain their best form against the Lions as they return to the nation’s capital where they registered a thrilling one-point win over the Saints just two weeks ago.

Thursday’s match is just the second-ever ANZAC Day fixture for the GIANTS, with the club having previously hosted the Suns at Manuka Oval in 2015.

The Opposition 

The Lions will head to Canberra still searching for their best form of 2024 following last year’s brilliant run to the grand final.

Opening the season with three straight losses, the Lions roared back into action with successive wins over the Kangaroos and Demons in rounds four and five, before falling short to the Cats by 26 points at the Gabba last weekend.

Sitting 12^th at 2-4 entering Thursday’s game, the Lions will be hoping stars Lachie Neale (28 touches, seven clearances) and Dayne Zorko (26 touches, two goals) can continue their strong seasons after big games in the loss to the Cats.

Recent History

Recent history has not been kind to the GIANTS who have lost the last five matches against the Queenslanders, having not beaten Brisbane since a three-point semi-final win in 2019.

The last encounter between the sides saw the Lions register a 21-point win over the GIANTS, coincidentally at Thursday’s venue of Manuka Oval. 

Missing superstar Tom Green through suspension, the GIANTS trailed by 19 points following a strong start from the Lions and were unable to make up any ground as the visitors ran out with a 16.12 (108) to 13.9 (87) win. 

Key Match-Up: Stop Charlie 

If the GIANTS are to tame the Lions and register their sixth win of the season, then stopping livewire Charlie Cameron is a must. 

One of the competition’s most dangerous small forwards, Cameron has proved a thorn in the GIANTS’ side in recent times, kicking 10 goals across the past two clashes, including a monster haul of seven in their most recent outing. 

Putting on a show for his home crowd in Brisbane, Cameron ignited the Lions to victory in the round six clash last year as he finished with seven goals from 15 disposals and six marks in a best-on-ground display. 

With Harry Perryman and Connor Idun potentially set to match up on Cameron on Thursday, their ability to curtail the star forward will be crucial to a GIANTS win on ANZAC Day.  

GIANTS Player to Watch  

Jack Buckley will celebrate his first major game milestone on Thursday as the resilient defender notches up his 50^th AFL game in the ANZAC Day clash. 

Tasked with taking down the opposition’s best key forwards, Buckley will likely spend his milestone looking to stop one of the Lions’ key forward duo of Joe Daniher or Eric Hipwood.

Drafted to the club as a Category B Rookie in 2017, the Sydneysider overcame more than 600 days on the sidelines following a serious ACL injury in 2021 to become an integral piece of the GIANTS’ defence and one of the AFL’s best key defenders. 

In the Mix 

Several GIANTS are pressing their AFL selection claims through strong VFL form. Tall forward Max Gruzewski and livewire small forward Darcy Jones continue to impress in the VFL and are two potential debutants who could be called upon if Greene and Hogan’s bans are upheld, while Toby McMullin, Nick Haynes, Lachlan Keeffe, Harry Rowston , Conor Stone, Ryan Angwin and Josh Fahey lead a host of GIANTS pressing their claims with solid VFL form. 

Team Selection

The GIANTS will name their team to take on the Lions at 6:20pm on Wednesday at gwsgiants.com.au. 

Rehab Report

Get a full injury update ahead of Thursday’s match with the Lions here.

Where to Watch 

Thursday’s match will be shown live in NSW and the ACT on the Seven Network, with the pre-game live from Manuka Oval from 7pm on 7mate and the match to be shown live on Channel 7 from 7:30pm. The game will also be live on Fox Footy and Kayo nationally.

Social Media 

Be part of the #BigBigSound in 2024 - For all the latest news, follow @GWSGIANTS on social media: Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram.

Brisbane's stuttering 2024 campaign has continued at Manuka Oval, thrashed by a surging GIANTS outfit by 54 points on Thursday night.

The 2023 Grand Finalists fell to their fifth - and their biggest - loss of the year, conceding a run of nine unanswered goals after hitting the front in the second quarter as the GIANTS cruised to a 17.11 (113) to 8.11 (59) victory.

It was the perfect response from the premiership-favourite GIANTS after last weekend's loss to Carlton, with their running game slicing up the Lions when they took over the contest.

Canberra local Tom Green put on another clinic on his home turf, racking up 36 touches, seven clearances and a goal to help his side continue their surge towards the top of the table.

It was a second consecutive lethargic performance from Brisbane, having failed to handle rainy conditions in a 26-point loss against Geelong last weekend.

Lions forward Kai Lohmann snapped truly at the 19-minute mark of the second term to put his side ahead 42-39, with Brisbane appearing to have weathered an early storm and got back on track.

But the GIANTS had other ideas, generating momentum out of their defensive 50 and making the Lions look slow on their way to nine straight goals and a match-winning lead.

Irishman Callum Brown was in fine touch with three sweetly hit set-shot goals, with fellow forward Jake Riccardi also cashing in with a trio of majors.

Livewire debutant Darcy Jones lit up the Canberra crowd with a first game to remember, slotting a brilliant running goal in the first term on the back of his electric pace, before finding another late in the piece.

The GIANTS were missing captain Toby Greene (suspended), key back Sam Taylor (concussion) and star midfielder Stephen Coniglio (knee), but still cruised to their sixth win of the season.

Brisbane got two first-quarter goals from Charlie Cameron to stick with the fast-starting Giants, and even hit the front early in the second when fellow forward Cam Rayner found a pair of his own.

The Lions missed ruckman Oscar McInerney (concussion), but did hold their own in the middle, however they simply couldn't contain the the GIANTS' run when it got firing.

Brisbane returns home for the QClash against the Gold Coast next weekend, quickly losing touch with the pack as they look to push towards another finals run.

Callum Ah Chee was subbed out at half-time with a hamstring injury.

Darcy's Debut To Remember

It's been a long time coming, but it was a debut to remember for GIANTS youngster Darcy Jones. Sporting an eye-catching charcoal and orange helmet, Jones kicked two slick goals in a memorable first outing for the GIANTS. His first goal on the run from just inside the 50m in the opening term was outstanding, before he slotted his second with a set shot in the final quarter. Taken in the first round in the 2022 AFL Draft, the West Australian's first season was cruelled by injury after tearing his his anterior cruciate ligament in his maiden appearance for the GIANTS' VFL side. The speedy forward has averaged 17 disposals, six score involvements and four clearances in his three VFL games this season before finally earning the call up this week to replace suspended skipper Toby Greene.

GIANTS                                      4.3     8.4     13.6     17.11 (113)
BRISBANE                                   2.4     6.8     6.10     8.11 (59)

GOALS

Greater Western Sydney: Brown 3, Riccardi 3, Jones 2, Perryman 2, Thomas 2, Cadman, Green, Hogan, Kelly, O'Halloran
Brisbane: Cameron 2, Rayner 2, Fletcher, Fort, Lohmann, McCarthy

BEST

GIANTS: Green, Callaghan, Kelly, Whitfield, Brown
Brisbane: Dunkley, McCluggage, Neale, Berry, Lester

INJURIES

GIANTS: Nil
Brisbane: Ah Chee (hamstring)

SUBSTITUTES

GIANTS: Brent Daniels (unused)
Brisbane: James Tunstill (replaced Cal Ah Chee at half-time)

Crowd: 13,080 at Manuka Oval