The GIANTS will be out to burst the Blues’ bubble as we host Carlton for Welcome Game at ENGIE Stadium on Saturday night. 

AFL Round 17 
 
GIANTS v Carlton 
Saturday, July 6 at 7:30pm  
ENGIE Stadium | Wangal Country 

What it means for the GIANTS

The GIANTS (8-7) sit outside of the top eight for the first time this year following Saturday’s loss to the Crows and will now welcome the second-placed Blues to town who are riding a five-match winning streak.

The GIANTS will need to shake the inconsistency that has plagued them over the past eight weeks if they’re to beat a Blues side that now sits six points clear in second spot to stamp themselves as genuine premiership contenders. 

In last week’s clash with Adelaide, the GIANTS were unable to beat the Crows despite winning the first, third and fourth quarters, with a poor seven goal to one second term their downfall in the 16-point defeat.

While sitting outside of the top eight, the GIANTS are only half a game off 8^th spot and in a similar position to this time last season where the side went on a record-breaking run to finish less than a kick away from a grand final appearance. 

With their back to the ropes and up against the brilliant Blues, the Orange Tsunami must return to its surging best at home on Saturday to get its season back on track!

The Opposition  

Carlton (11-4) will enter ENGIE Stadium firing on all cylinders following a five-week stretch where they’ve made light work of the Tigers, Cats, Bombers, Power and Suns.

In their most recent outing, the Blues fought off a valiant Tigers outfit with a blitzing third term to run away with an impressive 61-point win at the MCG.

With star midfield duo Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh leading the way amongst a spread of strong performers, the Blues are near full strength and will be looking to make it six straight wins under the bright lights of ENGIE Stadium on Saturday night.

Recent History    

The last time the sides faced off was back in round six where the Blues ended the GIANTS undefeated 5-0 start to the season with a 19-point win at Marvel Stadium.

Holding a nine-point lead at the main break following a strong second quarter, the GIANTS were overrun by the Blues who kicked six goals in 14 minutes in the third term to register a 17.15 (117) to 15.8 (98) win.

The prior clash between the sides, held in round 24 last season, saw the GIANTS snap the Blues’ nine-game winning streak and secure themselves a place in finals with a 32-point win at Marvel Stadium. 

Key Match-Up: Green v Cripps 

Saturday’s match-up will put two of the competition’s best inside midfielders against one another in GIANTS star Tom Green and Blues skipper Patrick Cripps. 

Sitting inside the AFL’s top 10 for disposals at 29.2 per game, Green is likely to find himself matched up against Cripps throughout Saturday’s contest, with the Blues skipper enduring a season arguably better than his 2022 Brownlow campaign. 

In the round six clash between the sides, it was Cripps who led his side to victory, with the skipper recording 39 touches and 13 clearances as the GIANTS were beaten convincingly by 16 in the clearance count. 

With Cripps coming off back-to-back 40 possession games in the last two weeks, Green and the rest of the GIANTS midfield must be on top of their game to quell his influence and give themselves a chance of ending Carlton’s red-hot run.  

GIANTS Player to Watch: Connor Idun 

Connor Idun is coming off one of his best games of the season against the Crows (23 touches, 11 marks, seven intercept possessions, six rebound 50s) and will need another strong performance to help the GIANTS burst the Blues’ bubble.

While Jack Buckley and Leek Aleer are likely to be tasked with curtailing Carlton star forward duo Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay, Idun’s ability to help out and come across as third man up will prove critical to the GIANTS chances of an upset victory. 

In the Mix   

While star Josh Kelly faces another unfortunate stint on the sidelines, the GIANTS have several exciting pieces performing strongly in the VFL to press their claims to take on the Blues.

Young gun Aaron Cadman and speed machine Darcy Jones are two sure to come into AFL consideration, as are James Peatling and Xavier O’Halloran who both starred in the upset win over Southport last weekend.

Team Selection  

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

Rehab Report    

Get a full injury update ahead of Saturday’s match here.  

Where to Watch  

Saturday’s match will be shown live and free on Channel 7 from 7pm nationally, as well as on Fox Footy and Kayo.

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

The GIANTS have blown away Carlton with a nine-goal blitz then hung on in the dying stages to breathe fresh life into their campaign with a 12-point triumph at ENGIE Stadium.

The GIANTS trailed the Blues by as much as 39 points in the opening term but in a stunning turnaround then booted 14 of the next 16 goals to set up a 18.8 (116) to 16.8 (104) win on Saturday night.

The Blues made a late charge to reduce the margin to two goals with less than four minutes remaining but the GIANTS were able to hold on to clinch a victory that lifts them back into the top eight.

Jesse Hogan was dominant in the air with five majors and six contested marks, as the GIANTS brushed off their scoring woes that had seen them score fewer than 80 points in their past eight matches.

The GIANTS spearhead might have had a bigger haul as he passed off some gettable shots before the Blues’ belated fightback, after making the most of lining up against an out-of-sorts Blues defence with Jacob Weitering restricted by a corked thigh.

There were few hints of the GIANTS goal rush that was to come when Harry McKay got the Blues off to a flying start with three majors in the opening 12 minutes of the match.

Former GIANTS defender Zac Williams then added three goals of his own as the Blues piled on eight majors for the highest-scoring opening term for any side this season.

But after the Blues had dominated the clearances 18-7 in the opening term, the GIANTS got the game back on their own terms as their intense pressure and rapid ball movement flipped the contest.

GIANTS ruck Kieran Briggs (22 disposals, 10 clearances, 40 hitouts) was critical to the change of fortunes after lowering his colours early to Tom De Koning (24, 11, 20), while Tom Green (33 disposals, six clearances, one goal) and Stephen Coniglio (28, six, one) started to win more of the ball at stoppages.

Brent Daniels (29, 11 tackles) and Finn Callaghan (24) added a spark and polish for the GIANTS, while skipper Toby Greene booted two goals when the match was still on the line early.

GIANTS forward-turned-tagger Toby Bedford clamped down on Sam Walsh for much of the match and limited the Blues midfielder to 22 disposals while gathering 16 and booting a goal himself

Bedford later moved to run with Patrick Cripps as the Blues skipper threatened to carry his side towards their own comeback with 33 disposals and two goals

Key forward McKay finished with five goals but Charlie Curnow was well held and only found a single goal late in the game as the Blues’ winning streak was snapped at five matches.

Bedford Blankets Star Blues Duo

Toby Bedford has already taken on some of the biggest assignments in the game since moving into a run-with role but is unlikely to have faced two of the best midfielders going around in the one match. The forward-turned-tagger lined up on Sam Walsh from the opening bounce and mostly limited his opponent’s impact while finding enough of the ball and booting a goal himself. Bedford was later sent to Patrick Cripps as the Blues skipper set out to make it a tense finish even while the GIANTS stopper showed that he can challenge all types of onballers.

Toby Shows Strong Signs

The skipper stepped up when the GIANTS needed him to as the Blues powered away with eight goals in the opening term. Greene booted the GIANTS first major amid the Blues’ blitz, then added another to start the second term and spark his own side’s goal rush. The dynamic forward finished with those two goals to now have 24 in 15 matches this season, but more importantly showed strong signs that he is returning to the sort of form that gives the GIANTS hope that they can make an impact in the run home.

GIANTS                                                3.1       10.2      17.6      18.8 (116)
CARLTON                                           8.4       10.4      11.6      16.8 (104)

GOALS

GIANTS: Hogan 5, Greene 2, Cumming 2, Ward 2, McMullin, Jones, Coniglio, Riccardi, Bedford, Thomas, Green
Carlton: McKay 5, Williams 3, Cripps 2, Kennedy 2, Cerra, Fantasia, Curnow, Acres

BEST

GIANTS: Hogan, Green, Briggs, Ward, Daniels, Callaghan, Whitfield
Carlton: Cripps, McKay, Newman, Kennedy, De Koning

INJURIES

GIANTS: Nil
Carlton: Nil

SUBSTITUTES

GIANTS: James Peatling (replaced Leek Aleer in the fourth quarter)
Carlton: Matt Owies (replaced Orazio Fantasia in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 11,730 at ENGIE Stadium