Preview GWS vs Richmond, Fri 7:50 @ Giants Stadium - GF rematch

[Tony Harrison]

Umpires - Robert O’Gorman 10, Shaun Ryan 25, Craig Fleer 26.


I had a few cheap gags lined up but that all seems a bit over the top now in light of the death of Tucky so I'll keep it short and sweet.

In a tight season such as this and with reduced H&A games, most matches this year (excepting those involving Adelaide) are looking like true 8 point games. Friday night is no different when 13th placed GWS on 12 points take on 4th placed Richmond on 18 points for what will be the first rematch of the 2019 grand final.

Form

GWS - LWWLL

The giants are coming off the back of 2 straight losses against the top 2 teams and will be looking to make amends this week and to avenge their poor (non?) showing in the grand final. The giants were competitive against the Power a fortnight ago until Port kicked away in the last with a period of 4 successive goals. Against the lions they conceded the first 4 goals of the match and effectively the game.

Leon Cameron's described the team post-match
"We are a rung off the topliners at the moment,
We're in that (mid-table) logjam - win a couple and lose a couple.
The boys are down a bit on confidence."
While Brett Deledio described the team to be 'bunch of 22 individuals' versus a 'collective team'. Seems it might've taken Brett a whole career to work that one out.

Players to watch.

Stephen Coniglio looks to be returning to his best after a solid performance against the lions and Taranto will only improve after his first game back from injury. Toby Greene should also return and keep an eye on Mumford to see who can give away the most free kicks between him and Soldo

Richmond - LLWWW

Richmond on the other hand have won the last 3 games though only really look to have hit form on the weekend with a return to their customary, high-octane pressure game as they put away a lacklustre norf. Similarly to last year, the tiges, missing a host of best-22, seem to be re-invigorated by the injection of youth - this time including the likes of Shai Bolton, Derek Eggmolesse-Smith, Mabior Chol, Jake Aarts and Noah Balta. Against the kangaroos on the weekend the tigers lacked efficiency and polish entering the fwd 50 but this was made up for in pressure and persistence. However, the game at times looked like a training run with the kangaroos only scoring 2 goals for the match, coming in the 2nd qtr. How the tigers game holds up against an expected better outfit in GWS remains to be seen.

Players to watch

The youf. Will man back up his BOG performance? Bolton is in career best form with an abundance of slick moves covering the omission of Shane Edwards. Chol also seems to be building confidence in the senior team. Astbury will likely come in for Caddy after his hamstring injury.
Young players form can be fickle but hopefully the guys can keep it up.


Tip

I think the form is a lot closer than the recent win/losses suggest and of course the tigers haven't beaten anyone good yet (actually true this time) with the last 3 wins coming against bottom 5 sides (at the time of playing).
So I'll taper my prediction a little and say,
Tiges by 89 points.

Let's do this one for Tucky

 

[THE_GUN]

Probably should not be posting tonight and couldnt bring my self to post in the Tuck thread but this really hit me !!

The bloke was a heart and soul type of player for the club and was just a straight up guy

Gone through a bottle of scotch and can barely see the key board .......... What a shame and just feel for his family


Would love my tigers to do this for Tucky and if Jack kicks a goal i would love to see him point to the sky



RIP
Shane Tuck

 

[Genghis Tron]

GWS should be up and about looking for some sort of redemption. I want to see the boys play with the same spirit and courage that Tuck did. Let's do it for Tucky boys.

I want to see Balta in our back 6 full time in the future but I reckon we should give him a run on the wing for this one. Wouldn't mind seeing Stacky come in and put some pressure on also.

 

[OptimusGrimes]

We will stifle their multi million dollar midfield like we always do, intercept their panic kicks, and make a statement.

Jack to kick 10, Balta to hold Cameron goalless, Egg to gain 1000m, Tiges by 70.

 

[VB_longneck]

media and lids have been trying to pump em up all week

#

 

[OptimusGrimes]

media and lids have been trying to pump em up all week

#

Another team where playing the Tiges is their Grand Final

 

[HTT]

Another team where playing the Tiges is their Grand Final

Hopefully they treat it like last time they played their GF against us

 

[biaseddustyfan]

tigs by 89

 

[tora tora tora]

GWS should be up and about looking for some sort of redemption. I want to see the boys play with the same spirit and courage that Tuck did. Let's do it for Tucky boys.

I want to see Balta in our back 6 full time in the future but I reckon we should give him a run on the wing for this one. Wouldn't mind seeing Stacky come in and put some pressure on also.

Giants have a tall forward line. This is not the week to move Balta. Assuming Dave is the only IN, I would move a small back to the wing. Egg and short are required down back, so move Baker. He is actually good mark, good kick.
Gunna be an interesting game. They are playing poor football. Our 22 has a few with not much experience but is starting to play Richmond football. I saw em in the flesh. Our midfield won it for us. The ball didn't get into our back half for the first quarter. Shai, Lambert, Graham, Pickett are going well.

 

[tigersab]

Richmond by 90… let's do one better than the gf! The extra 1 is for Tucky! Thanks mate!

 

[Genghis Tron]

Giants have a tall forward line. This is not the week to move Balta. Assuming Dave is the only IN, I would move a small back to the wing. Egg and short are required down back, so move Baker. He is actually good mark, good kick.
Gunna be an interesting game. They are playing poor football. Our 22 has a few with not much experience but is starting to play Richmond football. I saw em in the flesh. Our midfield won it for us. The ball didn't get into our back half for the first quarter. Shai, Lambert, Graham, Pickett are going well.

Yeah fair point about their talls, couldn't remember who's in or out for them. Probably the first game other than round 1 I've been excited for.

 

[DontArgue4]

RIP Tucky, hoping the boys pull this one out for him

Id go just the one change with Astbury in for Caddy, and have the wing position filled by committee with guys like George/Baker/Broad (no i wouldnt have balta there, let him settle down back)

Interested to see if Greene comes back, if not it frees up Grimes to be an interceptor which would be huge.

Match ups would be:

Cameron - Balta
Himmelberg - Astbury
Finlayson - Broad

With Grimes playing on a lesser forward to provide a chop out for the other boys, Vlastuin similar too.

If our makeshift midfield can be competitive, we have a shot.

 

[tora tora tora]

Yeah fair point about their talls, couldn't remember who's in or out for them. Probably the first game other than round 1 I've been excited for.

Greene & Green were outs. Ward & Toby injured. Greene is a bit mysterious seems to play out games OK but OUT injured the next week. Taranto had his first game after a long injury break so was a bit off the pace. They were using Finlayson as back up ruck so 3 tall fwds & 1 as back up ruck. Same as us. Coniglio and Whitfield were OK, Kelly, Hopper quiet.
Mumford might get dropped for Jacobs.
INs might be Greene if he's fit, Green just because its a Richmond connection.

 

[AlorraVex]

Tigers by 21. Do it for Tucky.

 

[tigs2010]

A few blokes in the side played with Tucky. This is going to be very difficult for them I'd imagine. Could very well be a grim result.

 

[cairo tiger]

if they play with tucks desire theyll smash em

 

[SavDog23]

Can't see us winning by less than 89 points or more than 89 points.

Pickett to spin around Whitfield again

 

[Al Heimer]

Black arm band game with a No.21 in all our hearts. Go Tiges!

On SM-J250F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Waca Jr]

Goes one of two ways. Older blokes pull together for Tucky or they have a downer. Not sure. Win this and we are flag faves again

 

[VB_longneck]

why is this game still being played in nsw ?

 

[Tony Harrison]

why is this game still being played in nsw ?

 

[Giant Pete]

T Greene is playing.

 

[OhDustinMartin]

Look, with all the horrific news around Tucky, the hub situation, young boys with fatigue, playing on their deck, Giants will be revved up, I can't see us improving on our last performance against these guys.

So i guess that means Tiges by 89

 

[Hamsatma]

This would be a massive win, although we looked better last week we still haven't beaten anyone good. Giants would be smarting after the last loss and are staring down the barrel of 3-5 so will come to play. With as many blokes as we have out, a win here would give me so much confidence for the rest of the year (and make that asterisk look a little bit smaller )

Not too many in the squad who would have played much with Tucky, but hopefully they'll take on the traits that made us love him so much - if they do that giants have no chance

 

[DontArgue4]

T Greene is playing.

Good for him