The GIANTS will look to continue their late-season surge in a finals-shaping clash with the Dockers at ENGIE Stadium.
GIANTS v Dockers
Saturday, August 17 at 1:45pm
ENGIE Stadium | Wangal Country
What it Means for the GIANTS
The GIANTS (14-7) are gaining momentum at the right time of the season and will enter Saturday’s clash with the Dockers riding a six-match winning streak after a huge 18-point win over the red-hot Lions at the Gabba last week.
Ending the Lions’ own nine-match winning streak, the GIANTS found themselves down by 30 points at quarter-time and still down by 15 early in the final term but came storming home with the final six goals of the game to register an impressive 13.4 (82) to 8.16 (64) victory.
Now sitting third on the ladder, the GIANTS need to win at least one of their final two games (Lions and Bulldogs) to confirm a finals spot and potentially both to finish inside the top four and give themselves a double chance.
If the GIANTS are victorious on Saturday, they will tie their club record set last year with seven straight wins.
The Opposition
The Dockers (12-8-1) sit in sixth place and will enter ENGIE Stadium in a fight to play finals after an upset loss to Geelong at Optus Stadium last week a bump in their road to September.
Fremantle led early in the final term against the Cats but the visitors lifted late to hand the Dockers an 11-point defeat which has them now needing to win at least one of their last two games to guarantee a place in September.
The visiting Dockers could welcome back a host of players to take on the GIANTS on Saturday, with their leading goalkicker Josh Treacy (knee) and ruckman Sean Darcy (soreness) both listed as tests to return. The club also confirmed dynamic forward Michael Waters will be available for selection after overcoming a hamstring injury.
Recent History
The uniqueness of the AFL fixture means that Saturday’s round 23 hit-out between the GIANTS and the Dockers will be the first meeting between the sides this season and the first since June last year.
While the Dockers have won three of the last four meetings between the sides, it was the GIANTS who tasted victory in the most recent clash with a monster 70-point win over the Dockers at ENGIE Stadium in round 14 last year.
Toby Greene starred with four goals in the win which helped keep the GIANTS’ finals dreams alive.
Key Match-Up: Dashing defenders
While it’s often the midfielders and the star forwards who get the plaudits, the GIANTS and the Dockers possess two of the competition’s most damaging defenders in Lachie Whitfield and Jordan Clark.
Averaging 30.6 touches per game to be amongst the AFL leaders, Whitfield continued his brilliant season in last week’s win over the Lions with 25 touches at 84 per cent efficiency to help lead the GIANTS to their sixth straight win.
Clark will also enter Saturday’s clash following another starring performance for the Dockers, with the speedy half-back collecting 28 touches, 10 marks and six rebound-50s in the tough loss to Geelong last week.
Both firmly in All-Australian contention, whichever dashing defender can have the bigger impact on Saturday will go a long way to leading their side to victory as they both push to lock in a spot in September.
GIANTS Player to Watch: Young Talent Time
Former number one pick Aaron Cadman and exciting speed machine Darcy Jones defied their youth last week with a pair of powerful performances to help the Orange Tsunami storm past the Lions at the Gabba.
With the game on the line against a Brisbane side who had won nine straight matches, Cadman and Jones stole the show late to combine for a brilliant five-goal final term to stun the Lions and their Gabba crowd.
Following arguably the best outings of their young careers, similar performances from Cadman and Jones moving forward would be the icing on the cake for a GIANTS forward line led by the likes of Jesse Hogan, Toby Greene and Brent Daniels.
In the Mix
The GIANTS could gain some extra firepower for their clash with the Dockers, with key pair Stephen Coniglio and Kieren Briggs both expected to return pending they get through main training this week unscathed.
Meanwhile many strong performers pushed their case in the VFL last week.
Team Selection
The GIANTS will name their team to take on the Dockers 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 Seven in NSW and the ACT from 1:30pm as well as live on Fox Footy and Kayo nationally.
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