Review Elimination Final #2 2021 - Sydney Swans v GWS Giants, 3.20 pm 28 August @ UTAS Stadium, Launceston

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Nov 23, 2015
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Where and When: Saturday August 28, University of Tasmania Stadium (Launceston), 3.20pm AEST

Last time they met: Things got a little dramatic pre-bounce. With Lachie Whitfield and Shane Mumford missing, this was the game that saw Toby Greene and Matt de Boer pulled at the last minute (as well as a couple of key Swans) because they had been at a COVID exposure sites days earlier in Melbourne. The GIANTS started in red-hot form and were 35 points clear early in the second quarter before the Swans ground them down, picking up their work around the contest, getting the ball out into the open and kicking six straight goals in the third quarter (and 12 of the last 14 goals for the game) to push their way in front. With Callum Mills missing, Luke Parker and Josh Kennedy were crucial in helping the Swans get on top for clearances. Well held by Sam Taylor early, Buddy Franklin managed four crucial second half goals, with Tom Papley a constant annoyance, also scoring four. For the GIANTS, Taylor’s effort on Franklin was important early, Harry Himmelberg, Daniel Lloyd and Jesse Hogan found room to move and made the most of Jacob Hopper’s early work and late inclusion Tanner Bruhn brought some spark. Not so good? Matthew Flynn’s shoulder injury, and the ankle injury that cut Josh Kelly's game short.

What it means for the GIANTS: For the first time all season the GIANTS were able to piece together three wins in a row, relying on no other side to clinch their spot in the finals after beating the Blues last Saturday night. After a slow start and some inconsistent patches through the season the team has found form, energy and spark at the right time, and reinvigorated the line-up that missed out on finals last year and lost a couple of key players in the trade period. Now it’s time to go for it, in a knockout final against an opponent we know well: this will be the third time the two Sydney sides have come up against each other in a final.

Where’s the opposition at: The Swans have had a super season, bouncing back up into the finals after a short time away and with a young and skillful side that Parker, Franklin and other senior players are still giving plenty too. They had a comfortable win over Gold Coast to complete their home-and-away season, and like the GIANTS come into the game in some strong form. Both Mills (Achilles tendinitis) and Kennedy (hamstring) will miss the game, with Chad Warner and James Bell to take their spots.

Capture - GWS v SYD.PNG

Capture - changes GWS v SYD.PNG


Let's hope this is a cracking game. The late season Giants' resurgence was on the back of the form of some of our youngsters, but unfortunately some of those have been injured (XOH, Daniels) or dropped (Bruhn) at the wrong time. Meanwhile, Sydney's whole season has been built on how well their young and old have combined, but they've suffered crucial injuries too for this game. Let's hope it's a great contest, but that Giants can prevail. Fire up Giants fans, fire up Giants players and let's get the win.
 
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Here's the weather for this afternoon.

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We've managed to scrape back into another finals series after an inconsistent and unconvincing season.

This will be our second Elimination Final against the Swans, the first being in 2018 at the SCG. Both teams again finished in the same position, 6th and 7th, but there the similarities end. Only half a game separated the teams at the end of 2018, with Swans winning 14 versus our 13 plus a draw, but we had the superior percentage. This time, the Swans are sitting on 15 wins whereas we have 11 plus another draw. And their percentage is vastly superior to the tune of more than 20%.

It's forgotten now but our form going into the 2018 EF was not good, losing our last couple of games. There was much gnashing of teeth because if we had not drawn with St. Kilda earlier in the year, we would have finished sixth on superior percentage and hosted the match at home. But it didn't matter anyway as the Swans were held to two goals until late in the fourth quarter and we won by 49 points.

That was then, and this is now. Yes, they're down a trio of important players in Callum Mills, Nick Blakey and JPK, but it's hard to see them not having a red hot go at us, especially after what happened in Round 18. They still harbour (if you'll excuse the pun) premiership dreams and would see it as a wasted season to let this one go easily.

As for us, we're in the unusual position of having a relatively fit list to choose from. Whitfield, Toby and Mumford re-join the line-up from Round 18, Coniglio is back from injury, but unfortunately XOH, Kennedy and the zippy Brent Daniels are all out.

The expectation is that the Swans will run us off our feet as the game goes on, because UTAS is a large ground, and we're built for a contest, not a race. Controlling the ball will be all important if we're to cause an upset and win.

Because it will be an upset - a huge upset. No team with a sub-100 percentage heading into the finals has beaten a team with plus-100 percentage for the last 30 years, let alone with a differential of 20%. During the year they scored about 35 more goals than us and conceded about 18 fewer. So it will be approaching boil-over territory if we prevail.

Yes, the Swans did have a pretty soft win against the Suns last week, which never helps going into a much tougher game. We struggled for our win against Carlton, but last night's flogging of Geelong by Port puts our Round 21 win into some perspective.

The bottom line - we're a better line up than Round 18. They're a little bit weaker. We can win, but it will take a four quarter effort. And what happens in the third quarter will be crucial.

Come on, Giants. It's a winnable game if you're serious.
 
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sydney_gws

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I saw on fox that Geelong have flown to Perth, does that mean we will also fly to Perth if we win?
Or will Geelong fly from Perth to Adelaide for next week's game?
 
Nov 23, 2015
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I saw on fox that Geelong have flown to Perth, does that mean we will also fly to Perth if we win?
Or will Geelong fly from Perth to Adelaide for next week's game?
I believe the plan is both the SFs will be in Perth, so Geelong is on place ready, and the winner of our game should fly out tonight.
 
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GWS RUCKMAN Shane Mumford says his body is "well and truly destroyed", but the veteran is determined to go out with a bang in an attempt to lead the Giants to an unlikely premiership. Mumford first retired as a 31-year-old at the end of 2017, but has remarkably strung together three more seasons since being lured back to the game in 2019.

"My body is well and truly destroyed," Mumford told AAP ahead of Saturday's elimination final against Sydney in Launceston. "My back is the thing that has been giving me the most grief this year. "My knees and ankles are always going to be there in the background, but at the moment it's more my back that's been holding me up. "I'm a never say never kind of guy, but there's a fair chance I'll just be coaching rather than be playing next year."
https://www.afl.com.au/ladder?Compe...eWeeks=475&ShowBettingOdds=1&Live=0#predictor
Mumford has been carefully managed this season, with the Giants playing him for a maximum two games in a row before giving him a rest.

Never surrender, Mummy. Go Giants.

:gws:
 

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KevDawg

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I can tell how this is going to go. Nichols is scumpire.
No free for Sam Reid front on contact but a dumb 50 for Papley.
 

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