Where and when: Metricon Stadium, Thursday September 3, 7.10pm AEST
Last time they met: The GIANTS had an emphatic win, beating the Blues by 93 points at GIANTS Stadium last May. A six-goal start got the team on its way and the GIANTS scored 20 goals to Carlton’s seven (three in the final quarter) to take the win. Amazingly, neither Jeremy Cameron nor Toby Greene made it onto the goalkickers’ list; instead, Jeremy Finalyson kicked five, with Harry Himmelberg, Lachie Whitfield and Brett Deledio adding three apiece. Whitfield was outstanding, racking up 40 possessions, while Greene (34 disposals), Cameron (27), Tim Taranto (38) and Josh Kelly (35) also won a stack of the ball. Harry McKay kicked three of Carlton’s seven goals, while Sam Walsh and Nic Newman fought hard for the Blues.
TV and online: https://www.afl.com.au/broadcast-guide-premiership
What it means for the GIANTS: The GIANTS played their best game for weeks - and most high-scoring game since round one - against the Dockers last Saturday, winning by six goals before jumping on a plane and heading back to Queensland. The score was the team’s second biggest for the season, behind just that first-up win over the Cats, and is certainly something to build on with a finals spot no guarantee and some difficult match-ups coming in the last few rounds. Momentum is important from here, as is percentage, but above all else comes consistent form and more wins.
Where’s the opposition at? The Blues are a different proposition than they were this time last season, and in their first full year under David Teague have been playing some competitive footy. They sit in 12th spot on the ladder, one win below the GIANTS but still well in reach of a finals spot with four games to play. Eddie Betts kicked two goals in their loss on Sunday to Collingwood, with former GIANT Will Setterfield, Sam Walsh and Ed Curnow their biggest ball-winners. Kade Simpson and Sam Docherty were key players for them too.
The number: 20. Jake Riccardi’s nomination for the Rising Star award this week made him the 20th GIANT to receive one of the weekly nominations, a string that started back in round two of 2012 when a young Jeremy Cameron kicked four goals in a loss to North Melbourne. The club’s inaugural season produced the most nominees by far – eight – while the recognition of Riccardi and Tom Green this year means the GIANTS will produce at least two nominees for the first time since 2014, when Josh Kelly and Jon Patton received nods in rounds three and 18. The club's most successful round over the years has been round eight, with Cam McCarthy (2015), Jacob Hopper (2016) and Tim Taranto (2017) all getting noticed and nominated.
In the mix: Jye Caldwell was rested last round and could be called upon as a replacement for Josh Kelly, who received a heavy hit to the face via Shane Mumford’s knee and needs some more time to recover. With a couple of short weeks coming up the Mumford-Sam Jacobs swap may again be considered, with Matt Flynn also waiting in the wings. Jackson Hately and Tom Green continue to show their wares in the scratch match sessions, and will also put their hands up for Kelly’s spot, while Jack Buckley is another who keeps pushing his case every time the reserves squad gets a chance to play. Phil Davis is in the final stages of his recovery from a knee problem, while Callan Ward’s finger injury will keep him sidelined for a few more weeks. Tom Sheridan joined the injury list on the weekend, straining a hamstring in the team’s scratch match against his old side, the Dockers.
