Some final stats and observations
Where was this game won and lost? Well, the Giants attacked the Swans hard and had obvious success in roughing up their more fancied opponents. Shane Mumford and Steve Johnson were among the enforcers and the latter is likely to face intense scrutiny from the match review panel for a shirt-front that flattened Swans on-baller Josh Kennedy. Mumford slung Kurt Tippett to the ground in a rough tackle that might also have him in the sights of the MRP.
But it wasn’t just brute strength. GWS took their chances and enjoyed sustained passages of dominance. Jeremy Cameron tore the game open in the third term with three goals and a number of other inspirational plays. He finished with 4.4 from 13 disposals and six marks, while rather tellingly, Lance Franklin managed only 0.2 at the other end, having gathered many of his 20 possessions further up the ground. Toby Greene was immense up forward for the Giants, while Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio and Devon Smith all dominated in the middle of the ground.
That’s all from me but thanks for joining us for what’s been a fascinating qualifying final, one that emphatically confirmed that the Giants mean business. They’re through to the preliminary final, meaning they’ve now got a week to rest weary limbs, while the Swans have to contend with a cut-throat semi-final. They were outgunned in all respects today and lost Callum Mills to a hamstring injury as well. It’s a tough road towards a grand final now.
The Giants win it by six goals!
GWS defeat Sydney 12.19 (91) to 7.13 (55)
And that’s all folks! What a win for the Giants. They were monumental today, taking it up to the Swans with a very physical approach and capitalising on far more of their scoring opportunities than the Swans. Now they’re through to a preliminary final!
4th quarter (0:50 remaining) Sydney 7.13 (55) vs GWS 12.17 (89)
The Giants have this game in the bag and we’re officially into junk time. What a journey it’s been from the easybeats of the competition to finals powerhouse. I guess that’s what the pick of the country’s young football talent will get you, but you’ve still got to develop and harness it, as Gold Coast know only too well.
Swans goal! 4th quarter (4:42 remaining) Sydney 7.11 (53) vs GWS 12.17 (89)
It’s too little, too late, but Jack finally gets one back for the Swans, a goal that Sydney supporters with the same levels of enthusiasm they used to reserve for the Gary Buckenara side of the early 90s.
Giants goal! 4th quarter (5:52 remaining) Sydney 6.11 (47) vs GWS 12.17 (89)
Now Callan Ward joins in on the party and with his running goal off the left boot, he stretches the lead to 42 points, which was the Giants’ winning margin when these two sides met in round 12. This ain’t a fluke, folks.
Giants goal! 4th quarter (8:18 remaining) Sydney 6.10 (46) vs GWS 11.16 (82)
Devon Smith has a chance to ice it with a 40-metre running shot but shoots wide with an open goal begging. No matter, Tom Scully rams one through moments later to make it a six-goal lead. That is the sound of the fat lady singing. Sorry Swans fans. This is done.
U need to see @GWSGIANTS live to fully appreciate how hard they work in both directions. Incredible running capacity. #AFLSwansGIANTS
— Jason Bennett (@JasonBennettTV) September 10, 2016
Updated
4th quarter (9:53 remaining) Sydney 6.10 (46) vs GWS 10.15 (75)
Let’s be honest, this one is probably out of Sydney’s grasp now so it’s time to ponder a hypothetical or two. Or maybe just one to start with: Steve Johnson. Is that worth one week, two weeks or none? It could be a real story if the Giants make it all the way to the grand final and they’re without the former Cats star.
Giants goal! 4th quarter (12:48 remaining) Sydney 6.10 (46) vs GWS 10.15 (75)
Devon Smith, with cotton buds stuffed up his bleeding nose, is apparently a glutton for punishment. Nobody of his size and of sound mind would charge head first into a marauding Lance Franklin in order to lay a tackle, but he does so just now and almost pulls it off. Better still for GWS, this has turned into a scrap and scoring opportunities are hard to come by. Eventually they get one themselves when Stephen Coniglio marks 45 metres from goal, right in front. He’s not a noted goal kicker but heads back to the mark and nails the set shot! That’s a 29-point buffer for the Giants. Have Sydney got anything left?
4th quarter (18:00 remaining) Sydney 6.10 (46) vs GWS 9.14 (68)
Ok, the final term is under way and GWS are roughly 30 minutes away from having pulled off something very special in their brief history. The big problem for Sydney is that they’ll basically need to double their goal-scoring of the first three quarters in the last, and not even Lance Franklin has looked capable of that today.
That third term in brief
Jeremy. Cameron.
Jeremy Cameron Q3: 6 disposals (5 effective), 3 marks inside 50, 2 tackles, 3.1. #AFLSwansGiants
— Ethan (@ethan_meldrum) September 10, 2016
Three-quarter time: GWS lead by 21 points
Three-quarter time Sydney 6.10 (46) vs GWS 9.13 (67)
There’s one final chance of the term for Sydney but Franklin is woefully off target when he hooks a set shot from just outside 50, and that is that for the third term – one in which GWS took a slender lead and turned it into what appears a match-winning 21-point buffer. This has been an epic tussle and it seems unwise to write off Sydney, but they’re a man down and hobbling towards the line in this encounter. The Giants had already come of age this year but if their form holds in the final term, they’ll have claimed one hell of a scalp today.
Giants goal! 3rd quarter (0:59 remaining) Sydney 6.9 (45) vs GWS 9.13 (67)
Jeremy Cameron is tearing this game to shreds right now, not just creating scoring chances – he finally misses just now with a 40-metre set shot – but also stopping a Sydney forward surge when he tackles Gary Rohan to the ground in the middle of the ground right as he was set to put the Swans into attack. Moments after Cameron’s miss, Tom Scully latches onto a turnover and snaps another Giants goal from 40 metres out.
Swans goal! 3rd quarter (3:19 remaining) Sydney 6.9 (45) vs GWS 8.12 (60)
Ben McGlynn’s had very little influence today but sprints out in front of a marking contest to mark and then calmly converts his chance from 25 metres out on a slight angle to breathe life into Sydney’s chances. They simply won’t go away.
Giants goal! 3rd quarter (4:35 remaining) Sydney 5.9 (39) vs GWS 8.11 (59)
Oof, poor Dane Rampe. Cameron’s all over him like a rash here and probably holding him as he disposes of the ball but the Swans defender then rakes the ball back in as Cameron falls on top of him so it’s a Giants free kick for holding the ball. Riding a wave of monentum Cameron goes back and slots the set shot to give GWS a 20-point buffer. We had 15 minutes without a goal and now Jeremy Cameron has bunged through three of them in the space of six minutes.
Giants goal! 3rd quarter (6:34 remaining) Sydney 5.9 (39) vs GWS 7.11 (53)
Jezza gets another! It’s a scrappy bit of play but Cameron lopes through the forward 50 like a gazelle after a turnover, improving the angle and moving closer to goal before hammering through a low, worm-burning snap from close range. Sydney are right up against it now and a 14-point lead is a big one in the context of this low-scoring encounter.
Updated
Giants goal! 3rd quarter (7:47 remaining) Sydney 5.9 (39) vs GWS 6.11 (47)
Toby Greene turns creator now, wheeling around onto his left boot and chipping a sneak little pass into a gap and allowing Cameron to mark out in front of his chest around 40 metres from goal. Cameron hasn’t been entirely convincing with his kicking today and this set shot swerves all over the shop but it sneaks through for the first goal of the term!
3rd quarter (9:29 remaining) Sydney 5.8 (38) vs GWS 5.11 (41)
Bang! Franklin and Whitfield almost knock each other out when the all but headbutt each other in a scramble for the ball but somehow both are up and at it again within seconds. The ball moves from end to end but the tempo has probably moves down just a touch. Perhaps it needs to given the finish this match might have in store.
Here’s the Johnson-Kennedy incident from earlier:
Josh Kennedy is off the ground going through concussion tests after this incident. #AFLFinals https://t.co/dlqt4VEuET
— AFL (@AFL) September 10, 2016
3rd quarter (12:27 remaining) Sydney 5.8 (38) vs GWS 5.11 (41)
The game’s just a touch scrappy in the early stages of this third term, perhaps because the intensity of the first half is just unsustainable. Coniglio racks up his 15th disposal in the middle and it’s a good one when he chips into the corridor to hit Ryan Griffen on the chest barely 25 metres from goal. Griffen...oof...misses. That was a stinker. If GWS lose this game, they’ll rue those sorts of misses, of which there’s been plenty today. Toby Green gets in on the act too, slicing a 45 metres set shot out on the full. How are Sydney even hanging in this?
3rd quarter (16:29 remaining) Sydney 5.8 (38) vs GWS 5.10 (40)
Gone! Devon Smith is a speedster and thought he was clear for a shot on goal but out of nowhere came Aliir Aliir with a desperate, textbook chase and tackle to force the turnover. That tackle was a thing of beauty, I’m telling you. Aliir has played with the composure of a veteran today in a genuinely intense finals encounter.
3rd quarter (18:55 remaining) Sydney 5.7 (37) vs GWS 5.10 (40)
We’re under way in the third term and news out of Sydney’s rooms is that Callum Mills is done for the day with that hamstring injury, which has a real impact on Sydney’s defensive structure, and not a good one. He’s got a huge pack of ice strapped to his leg and looks appropriately nonplussed on the bench.
Updated
Meanwhile. Mummy & Stevie J can each have one of these..#AFLSwansGIANTS pic.twitter.com/voq6iDAP4F
— Francis Leach (@SaintFrankly) September 10, 2016
That's one way to stop a nose bleed. #AFLSwansGIANTS #NeverSurrender pic.twitter.com/Sx1G0sGpPg
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) September 10, 2016
Some half-time stats
Sydney are +13 for disposals, +2 for free kicks, +3 for clearances, +2 for stoppages, +6 for contested possession but -19 for tackles, which tells part of the tale of this ferocious physical onslaught from the Giants. Put simply, they roughed the Swans up for much of that first half and it’s dictated the flow of much of the game.
Some individual stats: Franklin has 15 possessions, Hannebery 14 and Jack 12 and a goal. Josh Kennedy has 12 and goal after recovering from a contentious shirt-front from Steve Johnson, who is likely to come under scrutiny from the match review panel for various skirmishes throughout the opening half. That could be the story out of the game, regardless of the result.
The Giants major ball-winners have been Lachie Whitfield with 15 and a goal, Devon Smith with 13 and a goal, and the aforementioned Johnson, who’s had it 12 times but kicked four behinds, spraying them all over the place in between various imbroglios with Swans players. He’s been worth the price of admission alone. Toby Greene and Jeremy Cameron have been a constant threat up forward. Greene has 2.1 and Cameron 1.2 so far.
That first half in one photograph:
Brutal opening half. Plenty of feeling. But that's what #AFLFinals is all about. Nothing in it. #ProudlySydney pic.twitter.com/joaEpOZ3rC
— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) September 10, 2016
Really impressive 1st half from both teams, but @GWSGIANTS fans must be rapt to know their kids are more than up to it. #AFLSwansGIANTS
— Jason Bennett (@JasonBennettTV) September 10, 2016
Half-time: the Giants lead by two points in a gripping qualifying final
Half-time: Sydney 5.7 (37) vs GWS 5.9 (39)
I need an oxygen tank in here, and I’m only watching it. In the closing stages of the half Hewitt has a chance at a second goal but misses with a snap over his shoulder from 20 metres out. It’s been end-to-end stuff, which is a contrast to the spiteful, attritional football that closed out the first term. Steve Johnson marks 35 metres from goal for the Giants and boos ring out across the ground from Swans supporters who don’t appreciate the rough stuff he’s dished out today, but they’re delighted when he misses on the siren, drawing to its conclusion a frenetic half of football.
“The pressure has been at a very high level,” says Giants skipper Phil Davis as he walks off, and that’s a severe understatement. I’ll be back in a tic with a statistical breakdown of a half that delivered everything we’d hoped and more.
Swans goal! 2nd quarter (2:16 remaining) Sydney 5.6 (36) vs GWS 5.7 (37)
Has Callum Mills done a hamstring? It certainly looks like it as the star rookie hobbles off the ground but it’s not all bad news for Sydney as Josh Kennedy claims Zac Williams in a tackle – the second time the Giants defender has been caught in the last few minutes. Kennedy goes back from 30 metres on a slight angle and slots a team-lifting goal. What a game of footy this is.
Updated
Giants goal! 2nd quarter (3:49 remaining) Sydney 4.6 (30) vs GWS 5.6 (36)
The Giants finally break the deadlock with a goal to Whitfield, who unsuccessfully juggled a marking attempt from a centering ball but regained his composure to gather the ball and poke it through from the goal square.
2nd quarter (5:12 remaining) Sydney 4.6 (30) vs GWS 4.6 (30)
Hewitt has a chance to make it two goals in a minute but hooks his next chance to the right from 40 metres out on an acute angle. The Giants rebound and Whitfield hammers an artless but effective pass to Patton, who turns quickly to hit Cameron on the chest 40 metres from goal. It’s a very gettable chance but the left-footed spearhead hangs it out left for a minor score. If that miss is unexpected, Sydney follow suit when Gary Rohan skips into space but hooks a 35-metre running chance. Otherwise, this is just fierce football.
Swans goal! 2nd quarter (8:40 remaining) Sydney 4.4 (28) vs GWS 4.5 (29)
The Swans are back on the board now through George Hewitt, one of their finds of the season. He tackles Zac Williams to the ground 30 metres from Sydney’s goal and makes no mistake with the resultant free kick. Somehow, against the flow of play, Sydney are hanging in there.
2nd quarter (9:48 remaining) Sydney 3.4 (22) vs GWS 4.5 (29)
Hmm, vision from the Sydney rooms indicates that Tippett has a neck injury of some description but he’s bouncing about and warming up to come back on, so it can’t be too drastic. What’s not so bright for Sydney is that they’re being battered around the ground and lack fluency in their ball movement. They’re under the pump and struggling to adapt.
Giants goal! 2nd quarter (12:49 remaining) Sydney 3.4 (22) vs GWS 4.5 (29)
Whoever wins this game will have earned it. If they walked off now there’d be a few very sore bodies, to be honest. Sydney settle just a little now but the tone of the games suggests they’ve been ruffled a little so far. Another thing the Giants have done well is ensure that bar the set shot he missed a few minutes back, Franklin is only getting easy ball well up the ground and too high to be a scoring threat himself. Not only that but the Giants have the most potent-looking forwards on the ground right now in Cameron and Greene and the latter bobs up again here, weaving his way around a would-be tackler and slotting another goal from 30 metres. He’s got two goals now in his finals debut.
2nd quarter (16:44 remaining) Sydney 3.4 (22) vs GWS 3.5 (23)
We’re under way in the second term but I’m still getting my breath back from that first quarter. In summary: GWS have taken it up to the Swans with their physicality and as a result, Kurt Tippett and Josh Kennedy both start this second term on the bench and a little dazed. For ironing out Kennedy at a stoppage, Steve Johnson is likely to draw the attention of the match review panel. Were Sydney bullied just a little there? They certainly came off second best in the rough stuff.
Oof! Johnson’s into it again! He’s tackled by Smith now and puts a firm forearm into his opponent’s face in a clumsy attempt to ward him off, so the umpire has no doubt in handing Smith a free kick. That came after a Jeremy Cameron miss from a set shot but the Swans move forward and Franklin is tunnelled by Phil Davis to win a set shot 35 metres from goal. He misses! This is a serious game of footy.
This spiteful, physical, angry clash is the moment the Sydney rivalry actually arrived. #AFLFinals
— Patrick Stack (@PatrickStackFOX) September 10, 2016
Finals footy is different league. Loving every bit. @AFL #biffo #AFLSwansGIANTS
— Dimi Mascarenhas (@dimimascarenhas) September 10, 2016
Quarter time - the Giants lead by a point as the contest heats up
Quarter-time: Sydney 3.3 (21) vs GWS 3.4 (22)
Well, this game is delivering everything we’d hoped and more as the first term draws to its conclusion. Both sides have had their surges and the last five minutes of the quarter have produced some ferocious and physical football. They’re going toe to toe, these two sides. A bit of feeling? You betcha. It’s on after the quarter-time siren as Franklin and Johnson trade jumper-punches and wrestle each other. These teams do not like each other one bit, that is abundantly clear.
Giants goal! 1st quarter (0:45 remaining) Sydney 3.3 (21) vs GWS 3.4 (22)
The pace backs off just a little here as the first term wears on, with stoppages the order of the day and Josh Kennedy in a seriously bad way after one contest, in which Steve Johnson appeared to come through and clip him with a partial shirtfront. Franklin and Tippett are right into Mumford in the aftermath and to say there’s some spice in this contest would be an understatement.
Was the Johnson-Kennedy incident accidental? Replays have been inconclusive so far. A minute later Tippett’s down on his haunches too. The blood rule is being invoked often It’s like Game of Thrones down there! Anyway, when some football breaks out, Johnson gets another shot on goal after being tackled high but he bungles it, missing to the right. Early prediction: the match review panel could have a busy night ahead. Out of nowhere Toby Greene dobs a goal from 40 metres out on a tight angle after being tackled high. What a gem! That’s his 40th for the year.
Swans goal! 1st quarter (5:32 remaining) Sydney 3.3 (21) vs GWS 2.3 (15)
Anything Devon Smith can do, Kieren Jack can do better. We’ve barely got out breath back from the Giants goal and the Swans star is running onto a handpass to thread a running goal from 30 metres out, only 20 seconds after the re-start.
Giants goal! 1st quarter (5:56 remaining) Sydney 2.3 (15) vs GWS 2.3 (15)
This is better by the Giants and there’s a nice one-two between Johnson and Whitfield but when the former Geelong ace marks 30 metres from goal he makes a rare blue with his famous J-curve snap, pulling it right for a minor score. Sydney rebound but after cutting that off the Giants move forward again in waves and Devon Smith spears through a running goal from 35 metres. Bang! That was clinical by the Giants to make Sydney pay with some slick ball movement on the rebound. Smith and Whitfield have eight disposals apiece.
Giants goal! 1st quarter (7:49 remaining) Sydney 2.3 (15) vs GWS 1.2 (8)
A worry here for GWS is that the Swans have established this little buffer without Buddy Franklin having had much impact, but he asserts himself here across half-forward, marauding towards goal in typically imperious style. Against the run of play the Giants move it forward and deep, where Jeremy Cameron finally enters the contest with a strong mark 15 metres from goal on a tight angle. He goes with a checkside from the set shot and makes no mistake, curling it through for the settler that the Giants needed. That’s his 50th for the season, too.
Swans goal! 1st quarter (10:01 remaining) Sydney 2.3 (15) vs GWS 0.2 (2)
The Swans have two! This one comes after a 50-metre penalty which is a little hard to understand at first among a mess of players, but it looks like Heath Shaw held Papley up after he marked 40 metres from goal so he’s brought right up to the goal square to make certain of it. Sydney have settled well and Jack is loving it, getting right into Shaw in the aftermath of that free kick.
Swans goal! 1st quarter (10:20 remaining) Sydney 1.3 (9) vs GWS 0.2 (2)
In typical finals style, the ball is a hot potato at the moment and with a couple of Swans bearing down on him, Shiel turns the ball over so that Sydney can move inside 50 to Parker. He’s barely 30 metres out on a 45-degree angle and he doesn’t make the distance! Oh dear, it’s Country League kicking on goal so far. But Tom Papley’s a chance. He marks 20 metres from goal and stabs at it a bit but finally puts one through! The Swans draw first blood.
1st quarter (12:34 remaining) Sydney 0.3 (3) vs GWS 0.2 (2)
There’s a bit of niggle between Tippett and Mumford as they move around the ground for ruck contests but Mumford has the better of it so the Giants take it through the guts as Steve Johnson breaks a couple of tackles to bulldoze them forward, after which the ball hits the chest of Toby Greene, 35 metres out and straight in front. He....misses!
There’s been some very nervy kicking at goal so far by both sides and lots of turnovers too. Johnson’s back in the action trying to shove Aliir out of the way but the umpire spots the hands in the back and pings him. You’re good Stevie, but you’re not that good. If you’re wondering, it looks like Nick Smith has the job of keeping Johnson quiet. So far, you’d have to say he’s having a rough time pulling that off.
1st quarter (16:01 remaining) Sydney 0.3 (3) vs GWS 0.1 (1)
We’re off and away. Mumford helps GWS to the first clearance of the game but the kick inside 50 is intercepted by Aliir Aliir, one of a host of Swans to come on in leaps and bounds this year. The Swans go forward and Gary Rohan wheels around before chipping a low, accurate pass to Kieren Jack. He’s 40 metres out directly in front but his kick on goal fades left for the first score of the game.
Dan Hannebery hooks another chance to the right soon after, though his was on the run and he probably had more time than he realised. Xavier Richards gets a go too but makes a hash of his 45-metre chance and the Giants go forward, whereupon Devon Smith misses with a close-range shot from a tight angle to get his side off the mark.
The last time these two sides met: it was a 42-point triumph for the Giants in round 12 and a clear warning to Sydney that their cross-town rivals had not so much arrived as kicked the door open, cranked up the stereo and started on the keg. The Giants are match-hardened, multi-faceted and spiky. None of their number will take a backwards step today.
We’re now done with the anthems and just a couple of minutes from the start. Shane Mumford gives Steve Johnson an encouraging slap on the behind and the Giants co-captains Phil Davis and Callan Ward win the toss. It’s a perfect day in Sydney – sunny, minimal wind and not a hint of rain. Let’s do this!
Both sides are out on the ground now and as Jude Bolton says on the Seven broadcast, there’s a sense of normality here for the Swans; most of their players are at home in September and far more used to their surrounds at ANZ Stadium, even if they haven’t played a single game there this year. This is a new Sydney side of course; seven players in this line-up will make their finals debut but when those include the likes of Rising Star winner Callum Mills, you’d think John Longmire is still pretty confident they can stand up.
The Giants, on the other hand, are in new territory, but they’ve been consistently brilliant this year and bat as deep as any side in the competition. I know we were spoiled rotten by that Hawthorn-Geelong epic last night but here’s hoping this game will be another barnburner.
Fans are out in force for this ‘Battle of the Bridge’ final, as you’d expect. We’re now just under ten minutes away from the opening bounce.
Sydney is absolutely pumping today for #AFLSwansGIANTS.
— Blair Hughes (@MrBlairHughes) September 10, 2016
So much red and orange all over town. @AFL @ANZStadium pic.twitter.com/jYv8Bbt3St
Updated
Welcome to finals football!
Hello all and welcome to this live coverage of what promises to be another epic finals tussle – a Sydney derby between September stalwarts Sydney and the upstart GWS Giants, who’ll give this one a genuine shake. Before we assess the likelihood of a real coming-of-age for the Giants, let’s take a look at today’s teams:
Sydney: Dane Rampe, Aliir Aliir, Nick Smith, Jake Lloyd, Heath Grundy, Callum Mills, Isaac Heeney, Josh P. Kennedy, Jarrad McVeigh, Gary Rohan, Lance Franklin, George Hewett, Xavier Richards, Kurt Tippett, Luke Parker, Sam Naismith, Kieren Jack, Dan Hannebery. Bench: Tom Mitchell, Ben McGlynn, Harrison Marsh, Tom Papley
GWS: Heath Shaw, Phil Davis, Nick Haynes, Joel Patfull, Adam Tomlinson, Zac Williams, Tom Scully, Callan Ward, Josh Kelly, Toby Greene, Rory Lobb, Jeremy Cameron, Steve Johnson, Jonathon Patton, Devon Smith, Shane Mumford, Ryan Griffen, Stephen Coniglio. Bench: Jacob Hopper, Dylan Shiel, Lachie Whitfield, Nathan Wilson.
Russell will be here shortly. In the meantime, catch up on last night’s remarkable game at the MCG between Hawthorn and Geelong: