Match Preview: GIANTS vs. Essendon
By Bronte Kerr
When: Friday 13 March- 7:10pm
Where: Spotless Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park
The GIANTS will look to capitalize on their momentum from last week to secure back to back wins in Friday’s clash with the Bombers.
The Western Sydney side kicked off the pre- season with an impressive 36 point win over fellow expansion team Gold Coast SUNS last Saturday.
The GIANTS maintained control over the game at every change, charging home in the last quarter to kick six of the last seven goals.
GIANTS’ new recruits Joel Patfull and Ryan Griffen showed promising signs for the future and gained the tick of approval by on looking fans.
Meanwhile, the Bombers will look to put last week’s game behind them, after going down by 50 points against the Saints.
Fielding a practically unrecognizable side, the Bombers courageously took on the Saints with almost their entire primary list absent.
The GIANTS- Friday Night Action and #ThanksSheeds
For the GIANTS, tomorrow evening’s game against the Bombers will be bitter sweet.
The team will take to the big stage for the first time, playing their first ever Friday night game at Spotless Stadium.
After an impressive performance last week and some exciting off- season additions, GIANTS fans have lots to be excited about.
The GIANTS community will bid farewell to the man behind it all, Kevin Sheedy, the coach who grew the club from the ground up.
The GIANTS will look to put their best foot forward to farewell Sheeds in style, in addition to honoring their inaugural coach with a pre- game tribute.
GWS will mean business when they take on Essendon, boasting an impressive lineup that includes the likes of Shane Mumford and Heath Shaw.
Rhys Palmer and James Stewart will grace the forward line with their presence after overcoming minor injuries during the off season.
Callan Ward, Ryan Griffen, Joel Patfull, Dylan Shiel and Josh Kelly will all be rested after the GIANTS’ win over the SUNS last weekend.
Coach Leon Cameron spoke to GIANTS media earlier this week, encouraging all fans to come along to the GIANTS first ever Friday night match.
“I hope to see plenty of GIANTS fans come along for our first ever Friday night game and to farewell Kevin Sheedy who’s been so important in setting up our club,” Cameron said.
GIANTS will bid farewell to Sheeds in tomorrow evening’s game.Image: AFL Media
GWS GIANTS squad
1. Phil Davis
2. Curtly Hampton
3. Stephen Coniglio
4. Toby Greene
6. Lachie Whitfield
7. Rhys Palmer
10. Devon Smith
11. Jed Lamb
14. Tomas Bugg
15. Tim Golds
16. Nathan Wilson
17. Adam Treloar
18. Jeremy Cameron
20. Adam Tomlinson
21. Matt Buntine
23. Heath Shaw
25. Cam McCarthy
26. Jarrod Pickett
27. Andrew Phillips
29. Zac Williams
33. Will Hoskin-Elliott
35. Aidan Corr
36. James Stewart
37. Rory Lobb
38. Jack Steele
40. Adam Kennedy
41. Shane Mumford
43. Jake Barrett
44. Tom Downie
The Bombers- Top up Team to take its toll
Time will tell as to whether the Bomber’s off field pressures will take a toll on the Melbourne side ahead of the 2015 season.
The Bombers will field a stronger squad than last week however will still call upon 11 “top up players” to account for the withdrawal of so many senior players.
In the midst of the ASADA investigation and AFL tribunal, the Bombers are missing a raft of key senior players.
David Zaharakis will become the fifth 2012 listed player to be exempt of the previously held ban, and will now line up against the GIANTS in tomorrow evening’s game.
Zaharakis will join key players Brendon Goddard, Zach Merrett and Joe Daniher in an otherwise relatively inexperienced 29 man squad.
Essendon fans will have something to cheer about after the announcement earlier this week that Kevin Sheedy will be returning to the club as the General Manager of Commercial Development and Innovation.
David Zaharakis in action during a 2014 elimination final against the Kangaroos, Image: AFL Media
Bombers squad
6. Joe Daniher
7. Zach Merrett
9. Brendon Goddard
10. Nick O’Brien
11. David Zaharakis
13. Adam Cooney
14. Jason Ashby
19. Shaun Edwards
20. Jackson Merrett
27. Jonathan Giles
28. Elliott Kavanagh
29. Patrick Ambrose
30. Kyle Langford
35. Marty Gleeson
36. Lauchlan Dalgleish
42. James Gwilt
44. Shaun McKernan
45. Conor McKenna
46. Orazio Fantasia
47. Marcus Marigliani
50. James Polkinghorne
54. Josh Freezer
56. Jordan Schroder
72. Clinton Jones
73. Mitch Brown
74. Mitch Clisby
75. Jared Petrenko
76, James Magner
77. Sam Michael
Previous encounters
The Bombers will have history on their side when they take on the GIANTS, having won all four games since the GIANTS inception in 2012. A determined GIANTS side will look to reverse their losing streak under the big lights of their first Friday night game.
Round 12, 2014- Essendon 11.15 (81) d GIANTS 9.12(66)
Round 17, 2013- Essendon 18.8 (116) d GIANTS 11.11(77)
Round 6, 2013- Essendon 17.18(120) d GIANTS 12.19 (81)
Round 9, 2012- Essendon 18.11 (119) d GIANTS 7.11(53)
The local side will enter the game as clear favourites at 1.16 while Essendon will take to the field at 5.50.
Main Image courtesy of AFL Media
