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The GWS Giants delivered an absolute thrashing to the Western Bulldogs in their first match of 2018, crushing their opposition at Canberra by 82 points.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
GWS Giants 20.13 (133)
Western Bulldogs 7.9 (51)
Sunday’s games kick off with the GWS Giants taking on the Western Bulldogs at the Giants’ second home, UNSW Canberra Oval. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 1:10pm AEDT.
GWS will want to start 2018 off with a bang and prove to any doubters that they are still in their ‘premiership window’. It begins with a strong win against an undermanned and unconvincing Bulldogs outfit.
After missing finals last year on the back of a Premiership the year before, the Bulldogs will be out to get their fast, attacking game style from 2016, going again.
They have made a number of changes in the off-season, veteran defender Robert Murphy retired, while several new faces were brought in.
The jury is still out on whether they have the personnel and game style to compete with the top sides this year.
In the GWS camp, Rory Lobb has won the battle against Dawson Simpson to replace retired ruckman Shane Mumford in round one.
Lobb only played one preseason match for the Giants’ reserves, but has been given the opportunity ahead of Simpson against the Bulldogs.
Zac Langdon will pull on the Giants’ jumper for his first official AFL game this weekend. Taken at pick 56 in the 2017 National Draft, Langdon impressed as a forward in the JLT Community Series and will start on the bench in the Giants’ final 22.
Meanwhile, at the Western Bulldogs they have named four new players to pull on the red, white and blue for the first time. Hayden Crozier (Fremantle) and Jackson Trengove (Port Adelaide) will start fresh at the Bulldogs, while Aaron Naughton and Billy Gowers will begin their AFL journeys in round one.
Naughton was selected at pick 9 in the 2017 AFL National Draft and will start on half-back for the Dogs. He will need to settle in quickly against a very high-quality Giants’ midfield and forward line.
The notable absence of Marcus Adams (ankle) and Dale Morris (knee) in defence, as well as Liam Picken (concussion) up forward, leaves the Bulldogs short on experience across the ground.
Prediction
A modern-day rivalry between the Giants and Bulldogs has developed in recent times, and it is sure to be a great round one contest.
The GWS Giants’ super forward line, including the likes of Jeremy Cameron and Toby Greene, will be too strong for the Western Bulldogs’ defence and fed well by their classy midfielders, it could be a big day out for the Giants up forward.
Giants by 27.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 1:10pm AEDT.
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