Preview Round 8 2021 - GWS Giants v Essendon Bombers, 1.45 pm @ Giants Stadium, Sat 8 May

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The game against the Crows was an impressive result once the first quarter goal-kicking jitters were overcome. But we've kicked poorly a few times this year already and it has cost us, and could cost us in future more games. The positives were the return to form of the midfield group, the return of Lachie Whitfield who opens up another D50 transition option, and the club debut of Jesse Hogan, who will improve our forward line significantly.

Some interesting stats at play for this game against the Bombers. Essendon's forwards are third best for kicking goals from their forward entries, while Giants are third best in terms of goals conceded from opposition inside 50s. Conversely, the GWS forward line is 15th for converting inside 50s to goals, but Essendon are also 15th for stopping goals from inside 50s. That's not hard to see from us this year, with so many behinds scored. So those stats seem to even themselves out, making for a potentially fascinating game, although GWS will hope that the introduction of Jesse Hogan will improve our goal scoring ratio. We'll also be hoping that our very young, inexperienced defence continue to hold up well.

However, it seems likely that the game will turn on who wins the contested battle. Thus far the GWS midfield has a statistical edge over the Bombers' midfield, but not by much. Both teams have good players on the sidelines - Coniglio & de Boer versus Shiel & Caldwell (Oh the irony of that!). Our midfield crushed the Crows 41-17 last game, and we'll want to see something similar ... but it's unlikely to be that clear with Darcy Parish in good form, and Dyson Heppell playing well again. But if we turn up with the same mindset and approach at home (which you'd hope we would), then we should be able to get on top and grind out a win.

There will be plenty of interesting and some exciting individual match-ups and cameos across the park too - at opposite ends McGrath vs Ash from defence, the lanky winger Nick Cox (do we put someone like Finlayson on him?), Keefe/Taylor versus the inform Cale Hooker, and who goes to Hogan, Greene, McDonald-Tipunwuti & Ridley?

For GWS, we'll lose Binga Daniels, Sam Reid and the medical sub Matt Buntine. Who do we bring in? Essendon are actually relatively tall, so does Leon think about bringing Riccardi back in - who could play forward or after last weekend seemingly back also - noting that Finlayson could go to a wing versing Nick Cox (or forward or back, wherever he goes!) Or do we just go Bruhn, or bring Lloyd straight back from injury? Do we think about debuting Jacob Wehr in defence or on a wing, go back to Conor Stone, or is there another option? And against either young Nick Bryan or journeyman Andrew Phillips in the ruck, do we rest Shane Mumford and let Matty Flynn have a go?

A lot of interesting questions, and we'll have to wait until Friday to see the team named (unless we name a debutant a couple of days earlier). What do you think Leon will do; or conversely, what do you want to happen?
 
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Cold Sober

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Good to see The Giants back up and running again. Hopefully a very competitive game.
Hoping Big Mummy is rested.
 

ClockworkOrange

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Main board saying the game maybe moved to the Capital.

Not until the Bombers have flown to Sydney and checked in to their hotel.

More seriously, IMO zero chance of it moving 48 hours from game time and all normal in Sydney.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
Restrictions come into effect from 5:00pm AEST today


People in the Greater Sydney area will be restricted to having no more than 20 people in the home, from 5:00pm today to 12:00am on Monday.

Mask-wearing at indoor places will be compulsory for the next three days, including on public transport, the supermarket and any other indoor event.

There will also be no singing or dancing in indoor venues, including places of worship and entertainment venues. Weddings will be exempt, as will dancers or singers who are performers in a show.


Sydney restrictions in detail
By 9News Staff11:15
The following measures will be effective from midday today(enforceable from 5pm) until 12.01am Monday, 10 May for the Greater Sydney region (including Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains):
  • Visitors to households will be limited to 20 guests – including children;
  • Masks will be compulsory on public transport and in all public indoor venues, such as retail, theatres, hospitals, aged care facilities and for front-of-house hospitality staff (except in a hospitality venue when eating or drinking);
  • Drinking while standing up at indoor venues will not be allowed;
  • Singing by audiences at indoor shows or by congregants at indoor places of worship will not be allowed;
  • Dancing will not be allowed at indoor hospitality venues or nightclubs however, dancing is allowed at weddings with a strong recommendation that no more than 20 people should be on the dancefloor at any one time; and
  • Visitors to aged care facilities will be limited to two people.
 
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Ichabod Noodle

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Restrictions come into effect from 5:00pm AEST today


People in the Greater Sydney area will be restricted to having no more than 20 people in the home, from 5:00pm today to 12:00am on Monday.

Mask-wearing at indoor places will be compulsory for the next three days, including on public transport, the supermarket and any other indoor event.

There will also be no singing or dancing in indoor venues, including places of worship and entertainment venues. Weddings will be exempt, as will dancers or singers who are performers in a show.


Sydney restrictions in detail
By 9News Staff11:15
The following measures will be effective from midday today(enforceable from 5pm) until 12.01am Monday, 10 May for the Greater Sydney region (including Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains):
  • Visitors to households will be limited to 20 guests – including children;
  • Masks will be compulsory on public transport and in all public indoor venues, such as retail, theatres, hospitals, aged care facilities and for front-of-house hospitality staff (except in a hospitality venue when eating or drinking);
  • Drinking while standing up at indoor venues will not be allowed;
  • Singing by audiences at indoor shows or by congregants at indoor places of worship will not be allowed;
  • Dancing will not be allowed at indoor hospitality venues or nightclubs however, dancing is allowed at weddings with a strong recommendation that no more than 20 people should be on the dancefloor at any one time; and
  • Visitors to aged care facilities will be limited to two people.
Lucky Giants Stadium doesn’t have a roof then isn’t it.
 
GABS is still going on at Olympic Park, so we should be going ahead too I'd assume.

They'll probably just mandate masks and close the members bar.

Only thing that will throw a spanner in the works for crowds will be if get 2-10+ cases tomorrow from all of the locations they visited 🤞🤞
 

Ichabod Noodle

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makes sense but only 25 minutes later? should have pushed it back an hour. 25 minutes is nothing in traffic.

R8: Updated Start Time
The GIANTS round eight clash will start slightly later.
The AFL has adjusted the start time for the GIANTS match against Essendon at GIANTS Stadium this Saturday.
The match will now commence at 2.10pm, rather than the previously planned time of 1.45pm.
This new time will allow the Essendon players and support staff time to fly in and out of Sydney on the same day via a chartered flight.
 

Veteran ruckman Shane Mumford is set to hold his place ahead of developing tall Matt Flynn, after the 34-year-old was one of the Giants' best against the Crows.

Mumford sat out the previous match against the Western Bulldogs so has only just started the streak of two or three consecutive matches that Cameron has continually stated the big man is now able to play.

"It's a week-to-week thing. We feel as though Mummy can play this weekend, he's pulled up pretty well and trained on Wednesday," Cameron said.

"He's in really good form. His game last weekend was first class and when he's come into our team, he’s performed really, really well at a high level.

"Sustaining that over a period of two, three, four weeks is always our challenge with him, because of his body just recovering. But we expect him to play on Saturday, then I'll deal with whatever happens the week after."


So Mumford is #1 ruck now, I guess.
 
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