This game is set for 16:15 in Sydney on Saturday afternoon.
The Giants lost to the 'Aints, which means they will be desperate not to fall off the pack.
This may well be the game where we get a rude awakening as to where we are. Western Siddennee will be at their best, with much to lose.
Blues by 24
We looked like we were a bit off the boil in the Essendon game.
We were riding a bit on a possible sugar hit in the games following the departure of Voss.
Eventually we are going to have a 'down' game or two.
Despite some of the more emotive posts around the whole situation, not many expected us to be challenging this year.
The expectation was more that we would finish in a similar position to 2025.
That's around mid-table where GWS sit.
They've got our 2025 spot...and we need to win it back :D
So we're probably looking at a tough match to win with the added challenge that it's a home game for them.
When they're 'on' they can destroy a side as Brisbane found out when they played them at the Showground a few weeks ago.
But they can also be a bit erratic.
A win here would be a surprising positive.
It's a big one. Win, about we are a hot chance for a wildcard, losing makes it a bit harder.
It's possibly beyond a sugar hit as no interim coach has gone 4-0. A genuine 50/50 game, although we are slight underdogs. In some respects, being Carlton, I worry more about the 2 games after, West Coast here, then Richmond...lol. Wildcard is really on IF we win.
Giants have exactly the type of game style that bothers us the most - slingshot footy with big run off halfback. We will need some significant plans for Whitfield and Ash, and hopefully Weiters is back to take care of Hogan.
I don't want to sound pessimistic, but this week is a big ask......
In the past Hogan has done well against us, but that might have been in the absence of Newman, and now we have Dean, Cowan and Newman all in reasonable form, it should make a difference if we stick with the team first ethic.
Our biggest problem this week might be Briggs, he pretty much bullied TDK and Marshall yesterday, made the pair of them irrelevant. We won't want Harry spending too much time as Briggs' opponent as he likes to hurt people.
Agree, they were poor vs the Saints but didnt lose by much, Hogan couldnt get near it but will be better for the run.
They have copped it in the media with the coach under Voss like pressure and Id expect them to rebound on their home deck, we were putrid vs Essendon and l hope I am wrong but I have a bad feeling about this game.
Yep, a big ask for us this week. I probably won’t be be tipping us. Just hoping I’m wrong.
Ye have little faith Cookie, the Baggers are BIT.
I feel like I’m riding my luck! Need to keep getting those tips right at the moment! Actually, if we win I’ll be rapt irrespective of tipping.
A lot depends which GWS team turns up.
If it's the one that played the Saints, we're a chance. :D
If it's the one that played Brisbane, we're cactus. ::)
They're a good side, not a superside and inconsistent. Very beatable. 50-50, no more than that. Only time in any half recent memory where we won 5 straight is in 2023 in a run of 10. We don't normally do 4 straight, helped we played Essendon, let alone 5 straight. If we do then we may have the right attitude for a change that carries us through the season like 2023. Now that big question......IF!
It's probably a good opportunity to see how far we've progressed in overcoming those lapses that result in a run of goals.
A team like GWS can exploit that significantly.
Its as much chance which Carlton turns up.
If we win this it would be a truely great effort. GWS will be desperate to make amends for their loss to the sangers and on their day can beat anyone.
We will be desperate to continue to make amends for our poor start to the season and on our day can beat anyone.
No Weitering this week.
:( :(
Well, Young or Derksen to play key defender. Hopefully, Dean plays on Hogan.
IN: Cottrell
OUT: Young
Wasn't Weitering ruled out?
Yes. He didn't play againt the bombers.
Late-ish withdrawal from last game
Cool. Forgot about the Bomber game. Deleted from my memory.
Cottrell selection is a bit hard to understand.
Yep, his Magoos form has hardly been outstanding but, Flynn Young just aint quite there yet.
Our line-up:
B: 14 Oliver Florent 47 Wade Derksen 26 Nick Haynes
HB: 2 Lachlan Cowan 35 Harry Dean 15 Billy Wilson
C: 5 Adam Cerra 18 Sam Walsh 13 Blake Acres
HB: 19 Will Hayward 11 Mitch McGovern 12 Ben Ainsworth
F: 17 Brodie Kemp 10 Harry McKay 39 Talor Byrne
R: 27 Marc Pittonet 9 Patrick Cripps 7 Jagga Smith
Int: 24 Nic Newman 29 George Hewett 30 Jack Ison 44 Francis Evans 46 Matthew Cottrell
Em: 36 Cooper Lord 8 Lachie Fogarty 38 Flynn Riley
[1] Flynn Young out for Cottrell? I can't quite understand it. Cottrell's form has been ordinary. Young may not have been fantastic, but he is goal kicker.
[2] Flynn Riley as Emergency? Has he gone past Reidy? Looks that way, but we have lost drive with Reidy out. I think Riley has more upside, but I'm not sure that he is the one at the moment.
[3] We will miss Weitering. Derksen did a lot of good intercept work against the Drug Cheats, but he was slaughtered in the one-on-ones. Lewis Young? Or is he 'break glass if necessary'?
[4] I probably wouldn't have Fog as Emergency, but ...
Incomprehensible selection if you watched his recent VFL games.
Reidy has not been competitive in centre circle ruck contests; Riley can jump.
Reidy is injured at the moment ...ankle 1-2 weeks
I would have thought that Cooper Lord has more form this year than Mathew Cottrell, and would have also given us good tackling pressure.
Cottrell has a reasonable record playing as a defensive forward. With GWS' running backline, this seems like a 'horses for courses' selection
I thought Matty Cottrell played quite well in the Magoos; he kicked a couple of nice goals and he's back to his running machine best. With Ollie Hollands and Matt Carroll out of the team, Cotters' ability to cover the ground to get back in defence and transition the ball from defence fills a need.