In honour of the monster re-signing of our number 27 Harry Himmelberg, here are 27 reasons to be at GIANTS Stadium for the massive Battle of the Bridge showdown with South Melbourne on Saturday night. 

1. The Rivalry

There’s the Showdown, the Western Derby, and the Q-Clash, but in New South Wales’ AFL circles there’s no bigger clash than when the GIANTS face off with the Swans, with city bragging rights on the line.

Head along to see who will reign supreme in a match with much more than just four points on the line. 

2. The Lifeline Cup

While the mouth-watering matchup shapes as one of the biggest between the local combatants in years, the clash will again be used to highlight something far greater that football in order to raise much-needed funds for those seeking help in their darkest hours.

Founded in 1963, Lifeline is Australia’s leading suicide prevention service.

During Saturday’s match alone, 334 people will call Lifeline in crisis and in need of help.

With the cost of one life-saving phone call being $39, Lifeline, with the help of the GIANTS and the Swans, is hoping to raise $13,026 to cover the cost of these calls during Saturday’s clash.

Donate now at https://fundraise.lifeline.org.au/lifelinecupround2

3. Stop the Swans’ streak!

While the GIANTS seven-match winning streak has been getting all the headlines, the Swans have started to click in their own right, winning three straight games to fly into finals contention. Can the GIANTS clip the Swans’ wings and put a major dent in their finals aspirations?

4. Greene Machine

GIANTS skipper Toby Greene’s sizzling form has him firmly in the discussion as the best player in the competition, and rightly so.

On the back of a five-goal haul last week, and a match-winning four goal performance in the last clash with the Swans, Greene is primed for another big outing at GIANTS Stadium. 

Will the 'Greene Machine' have more party tricks up his sleeve on Saturday night? 

5. Keep on Climbin’

If the GIANTS can take down the Swans, they’ll move to 5th spot and overtake St Kilda on the AFL ladder if the Saints also lose to Carlton on Sunday afternoon. It would continue an amazing turnaround for the GIANTS after sitting in 15th spot just two months ago with a record of 4-8 after round 12.

6. Harry’s Staying HOME!

Come along to celebrate the GIANT re-signing of star swingman Harry Himmelberg, who turned his back on free agency to remain with the club for SIX more years!

7. Return to GIANTS Stadium

Remarkably, the majority of the GIANTS record seven-match winning streak has come away from GIANTS Stadium. The Orange Tsunami will look to continue their wave of momentum towards September.

8. Witness History?

There’s no denying the GIANTS are the hottest team in the AFL, winning a club-record seven straight matches!

Can the GIANTS create more history with eight on the trot in the sweetest of fashion with victory over their cross-town rivals?

9. Sold Out Crowd?

Shaping as one of the biggest clashes in GIANTS Stadium history, both sides will enter Saturday’s game in red-hot form and chasing a finals spot on the eve of September. With a bumper sold-out crowd expected, get along as part of the Orange Army to cheer the GIANTS to victory! 

10. Brett Kirk Medal

The player judged best on ground in Saturday’s clash will be awarded the Brett Kirk Medal. Come along and see who can stand up on the big stage and lead their side to victory in the biggest Derby in recent history.

11. The Orange Army!

In a huge week for the club, off the back of a club-record seven straight wins and the significant re-signing of Himmelberg, the GIANTS also broke their membership record - surpassing 32,700 members to set a new club-record.

Help continue the momentum of the Orange Tsunami with your support at GIANTS Stadium on Saturday night.

12. The Midfield Bull Returns!

Watch along with the rest of the Orange Army as star onballer Tom Green returns to the field for the first time in almost a month. After overcoming the hamstring injury that forced him to miss the past three games, Green is fit and firing and ready to continue his stellar season.

The GIANTS Academy product is averaging more than 31 disposals and almost six tackles per game this season to put himself in All-Australian contention.

When the sides last met in round seven, Green finished with 31 disposals and 13 tackles to be one of the GIANTS’ best.

13. Hulking Hogan returns

Joining Green to bolster the side is hulking key forward Jesse Hogan who has overcome the quad injury which forced him to miss the past fortnight. 

Hogan has played an integral part in the GIANTS season with 29 goals in his 16 games so far. 

14. Midfield Battle

Saturday’s GIANT midfield battle will be worth the price of admission alone.

Watch on as the GIANTS star-studded midfield of Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly, Tom Green and Callan Ward go toe to toe with Swans stars Luke Parker, Chad Warner, Errol Gulden and Callum Mills.

15. Can ‘Slammer’ Continue His Dominance?

GIANTS star defender Sam Taylor has put in one of the most dominant four-week stretches seen by a defender in recent history - and he’s got the numbers to back it up.

Taylor recently became the first GIANT to poll back-to-back maximum coaches votes following his superb performances against the Gold Coast and Adelaide Crows. Furthermore, Taylor polled seven coaches votes in the games prior and following those two outings, meaning the 24-year-old has polled 34 coaches votes (7,10,10,7) in his last four games.

With no Buddy Franklin to man on Saturday, Joel Amartey could be in for a tough outing on Saturday night.

16. DJ Tigerlily

The expected sold-out crowd inside GIANTS Stadium for Derby XXVI against the Swans on Saturday will have an added reason to get out of their seats with chart-topping Australian performer DJ Tigerlily to take the stage.

Hailing from Maroubra Beach, the 31-year-old has previously been voted Australia’s No. 1 female DJ three years in a row.

Having graced the stage of the world’s biggest festivals including Lollapalooza, Ultra Music Festival and Tomorrowland, DJ Tigerlily will now take centre stage at GIANTS Stadium!

Thanks to Harvey Norman and JBL, DJ Tigerlily will be performing all your favourite tracks during the quarter time break of the highly anticipated Battle of the Bridge between the GIANTS and the Swans.

The 26th Derby will get under way at 7:30pm on Saturday, with DJ Tigerlily to take the stage at around 8pm and then again at half-time.

17. GIANTS Academy Celebration

Saturday’s clash will also play host to the GIANTS’ Academy with a number of future GIANTS on hand to get a glimpse of what their future could be.

With stars Harry Himmelberg, Tom Green, Harry Perryman and Kieren Briggs all coming through the GIANTS Academy program, head along on Saturday night as we celebrate our current crop of future GIANTS. 

18. WIN A ROUND TRIP for Four to Hawaii!

Valued GIANTS partner Toyo Tires will be giving two families the chance to race head-to-head to WIN a family round-trip to Hawaii at this week's game!  

At 3/4 time, stay in your seat to support them and find out who will win a once-in-a-lifetime family vacation.   

19. Haynes 200th

Much-loved GIANT Nick Haynes will become just the fourth ever GIANT - and just the third player drafted by the club - to play 200 games for the club. 

Get along to celebrate the inaugural GIANT and his commitment to the club over a 12-year career after being drafted as a 19-year-old with pick seven in the 2011 draft.

20. Battle of the Cult Heroes

GIANT Kieren Briggs has quickly become a fan favourite amongst the Orange Army while establishing himself as one of the most promising young ruckmen in the competition.

Briggs’ battle with Swans fan-favourite Tom Hickey is sure to play a major factor in which side takes out Derby XXVI. 

21. Who Stops Errol?

Swans star Errol Gulden is in the midst of an All-Australian calibre season as he establishes himself as one of the brightest young players in the competition.

After a monster 37 disposal, 10-mark performance in the Swans win over the Bombers last week, who the GIANTS task with curtailing Gulden’s influence is sure to go a long way to securing the four points on Saturday night.

22. Brilliant Backline

The GIANTS backline has established itself as one of, if not, the stingiest in the AFL, particularly during their seven-match winning streak.

Led by key pillars Sam Taylor and the often-unheralded Jack Buckley, the GIANTS backline will look to stand tall once again in search of a new record winning streak with victory against the Swans.

23. Buddy Love

Derby week was flipped on its head early in the week with Swans superstar Buddy Franklin announcing his sudden retirement.  With the all-time great the focal point of the club for over a decade, head long to GIANTS Stadium on Saturday night to see how the Swans respond to the loss of their iconic superstar.

24. Run-with role for Ryan?

Swan Ryan Clarke has made a name for himself for locking down some of the league’s premiere ball winners.

With the GIANTS possessing a number of star onballers, who the Swans stopper is tasked at slowing down could play a big role in Saturday’s result.

25. HimmelBURGER

In honour of the monster new six-year deal for star Harry Himmelberg, fans in attendance on Saturday night can purchase the ‘Himmel-burger’ cheeseburger at Bell's Burgers locations inside GIANTS Stadium. 

 26. Derby XXVI

Saturday will be the 26th time the GIANTS and the Swans face off in the Battle of the Bridge. While the Swans were able to take advantage of the youthful GIANTS early in their existence, the GIANTS have since pegged the ledger back to trail 10-15 in head-to-head match-ups. 

With a perfect 3-0 record against the Swans in finals, the GIANTS have shown they show up when the sides clash in key games. 

27. It’s the Swans, we hate them!

Sydney Derby XXVI

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