AFL 2019 Round 3: Greater Western Sydney v Richmond, 4:35pm AEDT, GS

[Gralin]

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Where and when: Giants Stadium, Saturday April 6, 4.35pm AEDT

Sydney Forecast

Patchy fog in the early morning. Mostly sunny day. Light winds becoming northerly 15 to 20 km/h in the middle of the day then becoming light in the early afternoon.

Last time they met: Giants Stadium, round 17, 2018: Giants 11.13 (79) defeated Richmond 10.17 (77)
The home side grabbed a crucial win after holding off the inaccurate Tigers in the final term. Richmond got within a kick with a minute to play but GWS won the centre clearance and controlled the footy until the siren went. Lachie Whitfield starred with 35 possessions at half-back for the Giants, but co-captain Callan Ward took the three Brownlow medal votes for his 32 touches and 10 clearances.

What it means for GWS: After their opening-round rout of Essendon, the Giants let themselves down last week against West Coast, and must stand up against quality opposition to show where they're really at.

What it means for Richmond: The Tigers must rebound from last week's poor showing against the Pies with Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt missing, and it's a massive chance for the them to silence any doubters of the flag credentials.

How GWS wins: Jeremy Cameron and Harry Himmelberg will enjoy a Rance-free weekend, and the tall targets will be a handful for the Tigers if the Giants can get them enough quality ball.

How Richmond wins: Star Tigers Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Dion Prestia and Kane Lambert had a quiet night against Collingwood and rarely play two bad games in a row. Expect a response.

The stat: In last year's clash at Giants Stadium, Richmond small forward Jason Castagna couldn't buy a goal, and finished with 0.5 for the match in the two-point defeat.

The match-up: Phil Davis v Tom Lynch
The GWS co-captain, ranked 120th in the Schick AFL Player Ratings, has always performed well on the former Sun (190th) and with Riewoldt gone and Lynch the main target, Davis will be primed to cut him out of the game. If he gets enough help up the ground, Davis could make it a tough clash for the big Tiger.

Phil Davis is set to resume hostilities with Tom Lynch, with the former Sun in new colours. Picture: AFL Photos

It’s a big week for: Toby Nankervis
The Richmond ruckman is likely to run head on into a fired up and fresh Shane Mumford, who returns from suspension, and the rampaging Giant is coming off the long run. The battle between the two big men for midfield supremacy will be intriguing.

Big call: With the Tigers backline depleted and missing leadership, GWS will take the chance to put 20 goals on the visitors, with Cameron and Himmelberg contributing half of them.

Prediction: GWS by 36 points

Source: AFL Website

 

[gavaniacono]

Tiges to cause an upset, winning on the road and against the odds, by 31 points.

At least, wouldn't it be nice!

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Gorgeous day in Sydney today after some overnight rain. Doesn't get much better than giving a bug Melbourne club a whooping to maintain our unbeaten record at Giants Stadium. That should happen.

Expect a good crowd although a fair few seats have been removed on the lower levels and members have had the club incontact moving seats all week. Will probably impact GA most, and I expect all the higher seats to be opened to compensate.

I think Mummy has a blinder, a year off and his ankle seemingly healed He can jump again. Looking very fit but his pressure around the clearances will tell the tale.

De Boer has done so well for us we're trying another Freo reject in Tommy Sheridan today. Best of luck to him first time at a club with very high standards. Tipping he'll handle it.

Giants by enough to make the Tigers nervous about the rematch at the G in round 17

 

[Barnzy]

Rance Grimes Riewoldt Caddy Grigg Houli all missing.

5 of those 6 are in our best 8 players. No chance.

 

[Adz]

Giants by 8 goals to send Richmond to the bottom 4.

 

[Xtreme]

GWS by 80 points

 

[Macpotata]

******* awesome game. Two heavyweight sides, a little appetiser before the main course tonight.


The AFL got something right

 

[Bazza97]

Not convinced this will be a comfortable victory for the Giants but I think they will ultimately get the win.

 

[CrowInFiji]

Tigers by 13

 

[Chinacats]

Big game in terms of pecking order. Can tigers overcome injury issues and are giants real or pretenders again? I think GWS by a few goals.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Big game in terms of pecking order. Can tigers overcome injury issues and are giants real or pretenders again? I think GWS by a few goals.

Pretenders again?

I shake my head at your nuffiedom when I compare our record to yours in recent years.

 

[Lsta062]

Don't ask me why, but I'll go with Richmond by 13 points.

 

[Chinacats]

Pretenders again?

I shake my head at your nuffiedom when I compare our record to yours in recent years.

GWS & CATS both pretenders in recent years. Fact!

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

GWS & CATS both pretenders in recent years. Fact!

No it's not a fact.

It's an opinion.

 

[Adz]

GWS paying $4.40 at 39.5 is crazy.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Might be just me but the Tigers look a bit nervous and disorganised pre-game, from where I sit.

 

[fnerd]

Gorgeous day in Sydney today after some overnight rain. Doesn't get much better than giving a bug Melbourne club a whooping to maintain our unbeaten record at Giants Stadium. That should happen.

Expect a good crowd although a fair few seats have been removed on the lower levels and members have had the club incontact moving seats all week. Will probably impact GA most, and I expect all the higher seats to be opened to compensate.

I think Mummy has a blinder, a year off and his ankle seemingly healed He can jump again. Looking very fit but his pressure around the clearances will tell the tale.

De Boer has done so well for us we're trying another Freo reject in Tommy Sheridan today. Best of luck to him first time at a club with very high standards. Tipping he'll handle it.

Giants by enough to make the Tigers nervous about the rematch at the G in round 17

You given us willo, cam and lobb and we’ve returned the favour by offering deboer, mzungu and now Sheridan....I’m thinking to keep the goodwill rolling we ll let you guys have Ballantyne next year and we can take cogs off your hands too

 

[StevenwellerHFC]

Giants by 40 points.

 

[Smartest Brain]

On paper should be a 40pt win to gws. But gws do not play consistent football so could be a 40pt belting the other way.

 

[mick500]

Now this should be an interesting match between 2 legit challengers for top 4 and give an early insight into who's going better at this early stage of the season.

 

[Colonial]

I'm not confident.

No Greene or Ward hurts. Hurts badly.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Struggle]

Lol how is that a free. Wasn't even close to high and wasn't that late

 

[Sterge]

That's really ******* soft

 

[Smartest Brain]

That's really ******* soft

Not a good sign when the first goal is some bs umpiring decision.

 

[WCfan22]

No it's not a fact.

It's an opinion.

When they don't achieve anything for the previous year then that actually becomes fact not opinion. Opinion is left for this year.