Where and when: Adelaide Oval, Tuesday September 8, 5.40pm AEST
Last time they met: It was a win for the Crows, who defeated the GIANTS by 21 points in a round 12 game in Adelaide. The game was up for grabs until midway through the last term, with the GIANTS working their way back from a slow start to grab a four-point lead at three-quarter-time. Twice, the Crows took the lead back and twice, the GIANTS snatched it back again. Ultimately though, Adelaide was able to kick away. Matt and Brad Crouch played big games in the midfield for the Crows and Reilly O’Brien controlled the ruck, with Rory Laid and Wayne Milera influential too, while Josh Jenkins kicked three of their 12 goals, Taylor Walker two. Tim Taranto, Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly and Heath Shaw were the GIANTS’ biggest ball winners, with Harry Himmelberg and Kelly kicked two goals apiece.
TV and online: https://www.afl.com.au/broadcast-guide-premiership
What it means for the GIANTS: The GIANTS fought out a tough win over Carlton in round 14 after flying back into Queensland from Perth, despite missing some early opportunities in front of goal and struggling to find their best form. The game ended on a positive note, with four goals and some huge efforts from players all over the ground getting the team over the line in Shane Mumford’s 200th AFL match. The win pushed the GIANTS back up into eighth spot on the ladder, but a finals spot is still not guaranteed which means the wins need to keep coming.
Where’s the opposition at? This Crows side will look quite different to the one the GIANTS played last year, with Jenkins, Eddie Betts, Hugh Greenwood, Cam Ellis-Yolmen and Alex Keath at other clubs this season, and other players including Rory Atkins out of the current side. Adelaide has had a tough season under new coach Matthew Nicks (a former GIANTS assistant) but spurred on by captain Rory Sloane and the Crouch brothers broke through for their first win of the season against Hawthorn in round 15. O’Brien was excellent again, in the ruck and in grabbing five contested marks for the game, while the Crows set the win up by dominating the contested possession and effective clearance counts.
The number: 35. Harry Perryman and Jeremy Finlayson shared their 50-game milestone in last week’s game against Carlton, as two of the 35 GIANTS Academy graduates to have made their way onto AFL lists over the years. Perryman was a first round pick in 2016, with Finlayson the second-last player – pick 85 – drafted in 2015. Of those 35 players, 15 went straight from their national or rookie draft to the GIANTS (four have since joined a second team), with the rest getting their AFL chance at other clubs.
In the mix: There’s likely to be some changes to the team this round, with Josh Kelly a chance to return from the concussion that saw him miss the win over the Blues and Brent Daniels (hamstring) and Harry Perryman (calf) to also be tested after pulling up slightly sore after the game. Phil Davis’ knee is a wait-and-see, while Callan Ward is still a couple of weeks away after finger surgery. Sam Jacobs may get to face his old team for the first time should Shane Mumford need a break, with Jye Caldwell, Zac Langdon, Jackson Hately, Jack Buckley and Tom Green all ready to go if required and Sam Reid also a chance to come in for his first game of the season.
