The Greater Western Sydney Giants have made an immediate impact in finals football with a convincing 36-point win over the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium in the first AFL qualifying final.
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A dominant second half helped the Giants seal the win and a home preliminary final in a couple of weeks time.
With plenty on the line, it was the Swans who started stronger as a couple of early goals to Tom Papley helped them sneak out to an early lead.
However, the Giants weren’t about to roll over as they began to take it up to the Swans in the physicality stakes as a number of spot fires broke out.
The physicality of the game began to show as Josh Kennedy and Kurt Tippet both went off in the opening term after head knocks as a result of heavy clashes.
A late goal to Toby Greene helped the Giants sneak away to a one-point lead at the opening break.
The arm wrestle continued in the second stanza as both sides were not prepared to give an inch to their cross-town rivals.
The Giants struck first through Greene who finished well in traffic for a goal but the Swans answered minutes later through George Hewett. Former number one draft pick Lachie Whitfield capped off a big first half of hard running with a goal as he roved one well off the back of a pack to run into an open goal.
In a positive sign for the Swans in the second term, Josh Kennedy returned and kicked an important goal. But another knock to Tippett and a hamstring injury to rising star Callum Mills put the Swans in a tough position with a half still to play.
After a number of missed chances by both sides late in the term, it was the Giants who went into the main break with a slender two-point lead.
After a chance to regroup at halftime, both teams came out strongly in the third stanza as it turned into a back and forth arm wrestle.
After a scrappy first 10 minutes, Giants forward Jeremey Cameron turned the game on its head with three goals in a row including a couple that came from great defensive efforts by the big forward.
The Swans finally got a goal late in the term through McGlynn, but that was nullified by a late goal to Scully for GWS which helped his team go into the final break with a 21-point lead.
The momentum continued in the final term for the Giants as they controlled the contest in all areas of the ground.
In a credit to their defence, the Giants managed to keep Franklin, Tippett and Rohan all goalless.
A strong finish helped the Giants seal a memorable 36 points against their cross-town rivals although one worry for the Giants will be Johnson and Mumford who will be in hot water for a couple of incidents.
The Swans they will now need to bounce back against the winner of the Adelaide Crows and North Melbourne Kangaroos, which will be played later on Saturday evening.
Final score
Sydney Swans – 7.13.55
GWS Giants – 12.19.91
Your kidding
Guest
Most sporting competitions introduce new teams to expand and to keep the dollars coming in. In the NRL they manufactured teams like the Storm and Titans. The AFL have introduced the Giants and Suns. The extra TV dollars help all the clubs stay afloat and strengthen the competition. Nothing wrong with that. Melbourne clubs don't have to travel as often and can draw talent from the strong Vfl. You could call that a concession. I'm not a Giants fan and I don't want them to win the competition but they have done some hard yards and deserve some credit.
JR Salazar
Guest
Agree to disagree.
JR Salazar
Guest
Bring it. GWS will be all right.
JR Salazar
Guest
COLA and Buddy.
JR Salazar
Guest
And some more! GWS have won the NEAFL flag! #NEAFLGF #NEAFL #NEAFLSwansGiants #NEAFLGrandFinal
Mango Jack
Guest
One of their biggest challenges is oval shaped fields. There aren't enough of them in Sydney. So it was very interesting to read recently that the AFL are developing AFL X, designed to be played on rectangular fields. This could prove to be a very smart move.
Mango Jack
Guest
GWS success is just one part of the strategy, the top down bit. The work down at grassroots level in schools in very good. That's the bottom up bit that grows the number of kids playing the game. Sydney, particularly western Sydney, is an incredible tough market to break into, but the AFL are doing a great job so far.
Al
Guest
Which teams have had anywhere near the concessions they have (besides the GC)? Why should I have to accept this manufactured franchise coming in, sweeping up nearly all of the available draft talent and subsequently creating a dynasty in order to build the game in a part of the world that will never care and at the expense of my team and of the millions of rusted on supporters in the heartland of Austrakian Football? I don't care about growing the game in Western Sydney, I care about my club and its premiership aspirations.
Your kidding
Guest
The AFL haven't created a monster. They've had concessions sure but so do other teams. They were hardly going to set them up to fail. And they've been a competition joke for nearly 5 years. Give credit where credit is due. The Giants have recruited well and have turned a young list into a decent team. They will never be the biggest team in western Sydney though so don't get too excited. They will be happy just to have a presence in the west. Sydney is big enough.
Stirlo
Guest
Is that you Eddie. Just joking. Well done to the GWS though. They are now officially a hunted side. Can they keep it up now?
Al
Guest
The AFL have created a monster with this GWS franchise.
Kirk
Guest
Giants are sitting pretty. Avoid the Crows which they have never beaten. As a Giants fan the Crows worry me. Much rather face Hawthorn or Dogs at home where they have beaten both teams this year. Cats vs. Giants in the GF in a fitting last game for Stevie J with Stevie kicking the winning goal from the pocket.
Momentbymoment
Guest
Giants were way too strong. Credit to them. Right from their first season they have played a great brand of football. It got them into trouble early on but now the dedication is paying off. Hats off to the Swans. Despite all of the whining down south we have a team with one of the fewest number of first rounders in the competition and 7 debutants. It's called rebuilding on the run which is the only way it can happen in a northern state. No one predicted this season and it isn't over yet.
TomC
Roar Guru
Yeah, 50/50 I reckon. Interesting week for the MRP. There'll be quite a few incidents looked at.
Penster
Guest
Line call that one, reckless high contact maybe a week but JKj played out the match. I think he'll be lucky and cop a fine. Nothing for Mumford.
Weasel
Guest
Pretty sure the Swans know that feeling, maybe you missed them being banned from trading for the past couple of years? Oh was that a win for the club?
Cat
Roar Guru
You're kidding yourself if you think that's a fine only. Two down to one and he won't dare challenge it.
Cat
Roar Guru
Swannies is the arrogant Swans supporter on this site you are thinking of.
Cat
Roar Guru
One game proves only that they were the better team on the day. I always gave them every chance to win in Sydney (regardless of which Sydney ground). I still maintain there is a real and genuine question that they can and will perform away from home, they have not shown it yet. Good for them on for winning their way to a prelim to avoid facing that test earlier and more often. Now they only have to do it once, if they get there. 95,000+ at the MCG on GF day will be a totally different experience yet again. Can they? Sure any team can win on any day but they could also have a case of the nerves.
micko
Guest
was at the game and close to incident. Stevie J had eyes only for Kennedy - nowhere near the ball. He is in trouble... 1 possibly 2 weeks