Bone’s beef: Greater Western Sydney must make most of this giant opportunity before their premiership window slams shut
THE hard-running, high-scoring Giants are a shadow of their very best and at risk of seeing their premiership window slam shut, says AFL expert Chris McDermott.
- I hope they bash each other up: Betts
- Sydney sides tipped for semi-final success
- The night Stevie J tried to sledge Buddy
- Crows’ destiny written in the stars
THE land of the Giants is no more.
Spotless Stadium has been an impenetrable fortress for GWS in recent times.
They have had six wins, a draw and one loss in eight games there this season.
This came after six wins and three losses in nine games at the stadium last season, including that heartbreaking six-point loss to the Western Bulldogs in the preliminary final.
But on a closer look, the Giants have won by just three points, three points, 16 points, drawn with Geelong, got beaten by Sydney then won by 12 points and 21 points in their last seven home games. Hardly emphatic victories.
Without two of their biggest names and most important players in Jeremy Cameron and Shane Mumford, it’s even less fearsome.
The Giants will have to play small to win Saturday’s final against West Coast, but their problems don’t end there.
Steve Johnson will play but there are more than a few doubts about his ability to cover the ground.
Brett Deledio is in a similar boat after struggling to make an impact against the Crows last week.
Ryan Griffen and Devon Smith are still on the sidelines.
And that’s just what we do know.
The hard-running, high-scoring Giants are a shadow of their very best and the premiership window that not long ago appeared wide open for them is on the brink of slamming shut.
It’s the quick or the dead in the AFL at the moment.
Who knows when an opportunity will appear again.
The Western Bulldogs are a classic example.
Their premiership window opened briefly for them in 2016 and they took their chance.
Twelve months later it is slammed shut and their next flag looks another half century away.
The same can be said for the Gold Coast.
Their window opened briefly half way through the season in 2014. The Suns were 7-3 after 10 rounds and only percentage away from second place.
They crashed to finish 12th and today they look as far off a premiership as any team.
More credit to Hawthorn in recent times to win three premierships on the trot. Do not underestimate how good that effort was. Greater than anything we have ever seen.
West Coast come to this game with the Giants with no baggage.
Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling will be unstoppable in attack.
Mark LeCras and Jamie Cripps will prove a handful as well. Drew Petrie could again be a possible match winner.
As Sydney look the winners over Geelong, the Eagles look the victors over the Giants.
If Dangerfield is the one man who can change the result in the favour of the Cats, Toby Greene is the man that can save the Giants.
He’s no Patty but his best is good enough and only his very best will do.