With the GIANTS and Collingwood set to go toe-to-toe at Spotless Stadium on Saturday afternoon, let’s look at the stats that could decide if the GIANTS can notch their first-ever win over the Magpies.

We could be in for a low scoring affair with both sides proving over the past month that a good defence is as important as a good offence.

Collingwood is ranked fourth in the competition across the last month for least points conceded, having averaged 81.5 points scored against.

On the other hand the GIANTS have been slightly better at keeping it tight down back (ranked third in the competition), conceding an average of 81.2 points per match in the last month.

Another pointer that we could be in for a low scoring affair is Collingwood’s scoring ability in the past month of football.

The Magpies are ranked 18^th in the competition for points scored, averaging 75 points across the last month.

In previous meetings between the two clubs, Travis Cloke has been a key target for the Magpies booting an incredible 18 goals but has crossed to the Bulldogs since the last match between the GIANTS and Collingwood. 

His six goals last time the two sides met was the deciding factor in the Pies getting over the line and the last time Collingwood played the GIANTS without Cloke, they only won by eight points in round 22, 2014.

While the stats indicate that the game could be low scoring, the last month of football also indicates we’re in for a ding-dong battle between the two sides’ midfields. 

The GIANTS lead the competition for clearance differential, winning six more clearances over the past month compared to Collingwood in fourth with four more clearances than their opponents. 

The GIANTS have also won more contested ball than Collingwood over the past month, the GIANTS +10.2 (second in the AFL) versus Collingwood +2.7 (seventh in the AFL).

The GIANTS will go a long way to beating Collingwood if they can also shut down a few key players including former GIANT Taylor Adams who’s in hot form, sitting ninth in the competition for disposals during the last month of football.