GWS co-captain Phil Davis still a chance to face Lance Franklin and Sydney Swans despite ankle injury
Phil Davis’ place in the Sydney derby remained a mystery on Friday night, but his game plan to again silence Lance Franklin did not. Plus Callan Ward on why booing won’t deter Toby Greene.
Phil Davis’ place in the Sydney derby remained a mystery on Friday night, but his game plan to again silence Lance Franklin did not.
The GWS Giants captain last year unveiled on live television the how-to-guide for stopping Franklin before famously executing the blueprint to perfection with a brutal Buddy shutout in the elimination final.
Davis has put his hand up for another potentially game-defining match-up on Franklin just seven days after badly rolling his left ankle, but a final decision won’t be made until just before the first bounce given the defensive ace failed to run at the Giants’ final training session on Friday.
MONEYBALL: HAWKS LOOM LARGE FOR CONIGLIO
BAROMETER: LATEST ROUND 6 INJURY NEWS
GWS haven’t exactly been secretive about their strategy to take the goalkicking juggernaut out of the equation, after Davis broke his mission statement down into three key areas on Channel 7 last year:
— Don’t let Franklin in behind you at centre-half forward.
— Keep Franklin on your right side at stoppage so he can’t access his lethal left boot.
— Back yourself to take Franklin on in the goalsquare.
There is no love lost between the pair after Davis accused Franklin of dirty tricks last year.
The SCG is standing by for more fireworks if GWS’ inspirational leader can make it onto the field after a week of waking up at two hour intervals every night to ice his ankle.
Collingwood great Mick McGuane says the Sydney derby hinges on the Franklin match-up.
If Davis is scratched, he will hand the Buddy Blueprint onto the likes of Aidan Corr, Nick Haynes and Sam Taylor.
“Let’s say we’re here (at centre-half forward),” Davis said on Channel 7 last year in an on-air demonstration with Matthew Richardson out on the SCG.
“My view on Buddy is he’s so electric that if I let him get behind me I’m going to lose him.
“What I want to do is make sure he stays in front of me in this V. I know he wants to go forward so I can premeditate that movement. But I don’t want to get past him because if I get past him, he’s out the back. He’s too quick. He’ll nudge me under and mark the ball.
“(Buddy) is one of the key forwards who goes to most stoppages so what I want to do is make sure I come in from (the left side) and push him this way (right) so he feels like he has to go to the right. If he slips me on that left foot they’ll hit it to him and he’ll kick a goal.
“(At the goalsquare) I’m going to get side-on and say, ‘have this half of the ground’, and I’m yelling at my mids to to try and come across.
“But I feel like, hey, if Buddy wants to go there, I want to go there, so let’s see who gets there first.”
Giants star forward Jeremy Cameron said Davis v Franklin was as big and willing as it gets in AFL footy.
“Hopefully he can (play) because Buddy is such a crucial player to their game. (Davis) likes going out there and playing on the best players and he does such a good job. I hope he can get up,” said Cameron.
“They’re two fierce competitors and Buddy, we know how good he is and what he can do and he’s torn teams apart in the past.
“It’s a real credit to Phil the way he trains and prepares. Every single little detail (is covered) before he goes out there and it really shows.
“The key match-ups is what people roll into the gates for and they want to see Buddy kick goals and Phil stop him. It’s amazing to see two players battle it out.”
THE KEY MATCH-UP: DAVIS v BUDDY
2014 — Franklin 1 goal
2016 — Franklin 4 goals
2016 — Franklin 2 goals
2016 — Franklin 1 goal (final)
2017 — Franklin 2 goals
2017 — Franklin 4 goals
2018 — Franklin 2 goals
2018 — Franklin 1 goal (kicked another 4 after Davis injury)
2018 — Franklin 0 goals (final)
* stats courtesy of Champion Data
TOBY’S RETURN EASES WARD’S GIANT PAIN
Callan Ward is confident the more stick the Swans dish out to Toby Greene, the more they will live to regret it.
As the experienced Giants co-captain comes to terms with missing his first derby clash — his season ended by an ACL injury — his pain is eased slightly by the return of a player well versed in getting under the skin of the Swans.
And should players or fans strive to put Greene off — well, good luck with that.
Greene’s kung-fu-style kicks in marking contests against the Swans last season — since banned — saw him booed by the red and white faithful and drew criticism from both commentators and fans on social media.
“When he’s had a bit of controversy in the past, it hasn’t affected him at all,” Ward told The Saturday Telegraph.
“He’s a super important player and does some freakish things on the footy field. He’s been training away in the background for a good month and he’s ready to go. It’s a huge plus to have him back.
“I think Toby loves it when players try and wind him up. I wouldn’t suggest opposition teams try and do that because he loves it. No concerns there. Obviously we’ve seen in the past he plays on the edge but that’s the way he goes about it. It’s all good.”
And providing the ‘stick’ from the crowd is in the right spirit, the Giants co-captain has no problem with booing from the stands.
“I think booing is a part of AFL and world sport maybe,” Ward said. “But I don’t support booing when a player has been awarded best on ground and the game’s over. I think that’s unacceptable. But supporting the club and being passionate about who you go for, I think that’s all fine.
“But the Adam Goodes stuff, what he had to go through was totally unfair so I think there is a line and there is a balance.
“The reasons people boo need to be the right ones.”
Giants coach Leon Cameron expects Greene will adjust when it comes to his marking style.
“I know that people call it the Toby Greene rule but it’s happened a couple of times already this year in other games,” he said.
“But looking at training, I’m really confident with his approach to some of those marking duels. He’ll be fine.”
Ward featured in the very first derby between the clubs and believes the rivalry was ignited in the opening moments of that 2012 clash — a thumping win for the Swans.
“It probably started with James McDonald in the first minute of that first game, came through the centre square, took out Luke Parker (a bump) and broke his jaw,” Ward said. “That was probably the start of the rivalry.
“It’s just grown since then. We’ve had some great battles. We love playing our cross-town rivals and they love playing us.”
— John Ritson
Parker says mental ‘scarring’ cost ex-teammates in GF disaster
As Sydney prepare to launch another flag assault this year, former Swan Luke Parker has lifted the lid on the scars from the 2022 Grand Final that plagued their 2024 defeat to Brisbane.
‘Really refreshing’: Barrass opens up on Hawks move
Tom Barrass is a Perth boy but at the age of 29, he and his family made the decision to move to Melbourne for a new AFL club. He opens up on joining Hawthorn, coach Sam Mitchell and his new teammates.