The Swans and Giants add another chapter to their brewing rivalry in an epic second v third Sydney derby at the SCG, with heavy rain forecasted in the Harbour City.
John Longmire’s team (6-1, 147.7%) goes into the Battle of the Bridge full of confidence off the back of three-straight wins by an average margin of 51 points, with Dane Rampe replacing Braeden Campbell its only change.
GWS (6-1, 136.3%) is similarly in red-hot form including smashing Brisbane by 54 points last week. Sam Taylor, who poured more fuel on the fire of the Sydney rivalry this week by calling the Swans “chirpy” and “a bit smug” returns to Adam Kingsley’s side alongside skipper Toby Greene.
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The game gets underway at 1:45pm AEST from the SCG.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo and via Hubbl from 1:30pm AEST.
MATCH UPDATES
There were no late changes, with Robbie Fox (Sydney) and Harvey Thomas (GWS) named the starting subs.
The Swans looked on early in a promising start including kicking the first goal via James Rowbottom.
But Aaron Cadman against the grain launched a long bomb from outside 50m to get the Giants on the board.
“Every time you see this guy he’s morphing more into Jeremy Cameron. Ahead of time too, he’s taken some giant strides in 2024,” Kangaroos legend David King said of Cadman on Fox Footy.
GWS took control from that point with several attacking entries, but was unable to add to its tally.
King meanwhile praised Josh Kelly, saying “not enough people are talking about the year he’s having.”
The game was being played under a finals-like atmosphere, with neither side giving an inch early.
In a major injury concern for GWS, Tom Green limped from the ground in the first quarter and went to the rooms with an ankle concern after getting it awkwardly caught under an opponent during a contest.
It mattered not though, as the Giant stacked on three goals before quarter-time to open up a 15-point lead and swing the game in their favour.
GWS led 5.3 (33) to 2.6 (18) at the first break.
Logan McDonald kicked the opening goal of the second term in a crucial steadier for Sydney.
It was meanwhile confirmed Green’s day was over in a huge blow the Giants, with the star midfielder subbed out of the game for Thomas.
Brodie Grundy was crucial in turning the tide for Sydney in the middle as a Will Hayward goal got it back within a kick.
There were a couple of more injury concerns – this time to Sydney – with Lewis Melican coming from the ground with a back issue, while Callum Brown crashed into Tom McCartin, who came off worse for wear and has a history of concussions.
“That’s no good, you can’t brace like that and make that contact anymore,” King said of Brown’s hit on McCartin.
“He chooses to bump … the one outcome he must prevent is contact to the head.”
After it was confirmed McCartin’s day was over, subbed out for Fox, King said it was “sad news” and that he “hoped the defender was OK.”
Saints legend Leigh Montagna added of Brown: “He’s in trouble, no doubt about that.”
The contest really went up a notch from that point, with Fox Footy caller Mark Howard saying there was a “bit of feeling in the game.”
After Joel Amartey gave Sydney the lead, Errol Gulden, who’d had a hot first half, added another in a “cardinal sin” by the Giants in allowing the star midfielder by himself in front of a pack.
It marked four-straight Swans goals as Montagna noted the Giants were “losing their way a little bit” as rain came down in Sydney.
Sydney led 6.8 (44) to 5.5 (35) at half-time.
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Source Agencies
