The GIANTS’ VFL side is gathering momentum after taming the top of the table Tigers with a thrilling eight-point win at Avalon Airport Oval in Werribee on Saturday afternoon.

The GIANTS matched it with one of the competition’s best in an exciting shootout that saw less than a kick separate the sides at each break before Matt Harms and Conor Stone kicked a pair of clutch goals in the dying stages to give the GIANTS an epic 16.10 (106) to 14.14 (98) win.

Within a goal or two all day but rarely with their noses in front, the GIANTS refused to lay down against last year’s grand finalists as both sides squandered vital opportunities in a tense final term.

Down by less than a kick for almost the entire final quarter, the GIANTS finally broke through when it mattered most as Harms marked and goaled from the goal square to snatch the lead in the dying minutes, before Stone kicked soccered through his third goal from a similar spot moments later to put the nail in the Tigers’ coffin.

The home side ran out of time to hit back as the GIANTS’ late flurry saw them secure a huge upset win over last year’s runners up in what was the two sides’ first clash against each other since 2022.

Following on from last week’s impressive 46-point win over Sandringham, the GIANTS now sit at 2-1 on the VFL season after handing the Tigers their first defeat of the year and first home and away defeat since round four last season.

The only downside of what was a thrilling encounter were injuries to GIANT Izaac Hughes and Tiger Nick Hayes who clashed heads in a nasty collision late in the second term which caused a nearly 10-minute delay as both players were attended to by doctors and stretchered from the ground.

Neither Hughes nor Hayes- who had kicked three goals to that point in what was his 50^th VFL game - took any further part in the match following the big collision, with Hughes remaining in hospital in Melbourne overnight.

Stone (21 touches, three goals, five clearances) and Toby McMullin (14 touches, four goals, 11 tackles, five clearances) starred in the win to press their claims for AFL selection, while Nick Madden produced arguably his best display in GIANTS colours in a dominant outing both in the ruck and up forward.

Highlighted by a long-range bomb from 55m out after the quarter-time siren, Madden impacted the contest all day to finish with a monster stat line of 21 touches, two goals, 31 hit-outs and seven marks.

Fellow ruck Braydon Preuss also produced a big performance in his second game back from injury, finishing with 17 touches, a goal, 39 hit-outs and seven clearances in a great sign for the 28-year-old.

Inaugural GIANT Nick Haynes (26 touches, 11 marks) was also a standout, with the veteran helping repel countless Tigers attacks as a rock in defence.

Just two points separated the sides following an entertaining first half which saw both teams show their talents with numerous impressive goals, with Madden’s long bomb the pick of the bunch despite some magic from McMullin in the first term after he finished off some nice team play with a speedy snap to kick-start the 19-year-old’s strong outing.

The GIANTS and the Tigers combined for 18 majors in a gripping opening half before the injuries to Hughes and Hayes put a dour note on the match heading into the half as Werribee held a slim 9.5 (59) to 9.3 (57) lead in a gripping contest.

It was much of the same to start the second half as teams traded blows before two goals from Stone and McMullin’s third major for the game saw the GIANTS snatch the lead late in the third term for the first time since midway through the first quarter.

The GIANTS’ four-point lead entering the final quarter was short-lived however as the Tigers roared into action with two goals inside the first five minutes to put their noses back in front. From there the Tigers held the lead for almost the entire final quarter until Harms’ heroics at the 28-minute mark saw the GIANTS register the huge upset win.

The GIANTS will now look to make it three on the trot when they host the Kangaroos on Friday at Blacktown International Sportspark at 1:05pm.

VFL Round 4 

Werribee: 5.3  9.5  12.8.  14.14 (98)
GIANTS:   5.1  9.3  13.6  16.10 (106)

Goals:

GIANTS: McMullin 4, Stone 3, Angwin 2, Madden 2, Preuss, Harms, Jones, Hughes, Quigg
Werribee:  Hayes 3, Dalhaus 2, Declase 2, Garoni 2, Grintell 2, Andrews, Johnson, Paea