GWS Giants lament slow start as Collingwood claim preliminary final clash against Richmond
A HORROR start has cost the Giants their third preliminary final appearance in a row as Collingwood held on to book a mega preliminary final showdown with Richmond on Friday night.
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A HORROR start has cost the Giants their third preliminary final appearance in a row as Collingwood held on by 10 points and booked a mega showdown with Richmond on Friday night.
GWS could manage just two behinds in the opening term as the Magpies overwhelmed it with enormous pressure, what little possession the Giants had they slaughtered.
The loss extends the Giants appalling record at the MCG to 2-15 since they came into the competition in 2012.
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With the Grand Final locked into the footy Mecca for the next 50 years it’s a problem Leon Cameron’s team need to fix.
“We don’t have a problem with the MCG but the proof is in the pudding,” Cameron said.
“Until we start winning here we will continue to be asked about it. We aren’t intimidated by the crowd, it was a fantastic atmosphere.”
While Cameron denied the problem his players certainly looked intimidated in the opening as they fumbled their way through the start of the high stakes match.
The umpires also looked a little overawed by the crowd of 72,504 giving Collingwood an eight free kicks to two assist in the first quarter.
Toby Greene was a match-winner last week against the Swans but was unsighted for most of the match as Brayden Maynard kept him goalless and to just nine possessions for the match. It’s the first time this year the Giants have lost when Greene has played.
Maynard talked up his job during the week and backed his words up.
“Brayden won the contest convincingly,” Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said.
“It was Toby’s second game back (from injury) and sometimes they can be a downer.”
The match was also a disappointing finish to Ryan Griffen’s AFL career who told the club before the match this would be his final game.
“It’s sad because he has been such a wonderful warrior for us,” Cameron said.
“We had a chat during the week and he’s had such a torrid run with injuries.”
While the match was a thriller Richmond is unlikely to be shaking in their boots.
The Magpies dominated a rattled GWS early on and their 22-point quarter time lead should have been a lot more.
The Giants coach was forced to come to the bench mid-way through the term to steady his team’s frayed nerves and it took till the first break before they settled.
The Giants looked a different team in the second term as Jacob Hopper provided the drive out of the middle and Stephen Coniglio, Harry Himmelberg, Jeremy Cameron and Rory Lobb delivered the goals.
The Giants kicked six of the next seven goals to lead by seven points mid-way through the third term.
The Pies kicked the first three goals of the last to lead by 21 but it wasn’t over.
Matt de Boer snapped truly to close within 15 points but missed shots from Himmelberg and Cameron and one on the run from Coniglio were costly.
“It’s not a wasted year,” Cameron said.
“We had a lot of kids help us overcome another big injury list but finals are the last word and we are out.”
Originally published as GWS Giants lament slow start as Collingwood claim preliminary final clash against Richmond
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