GWS best and fairest winner Tim Taranto suffers shoulder injury
The scoreboard couldn’t have been better for GWS, with the Giants enjoying a smashing win over cross-town rivals Sydney. However, it came at a cost, with a star midfielder going down with a shoulder injury.
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The GWS Giants are desperately hoping Tim Taranto’s shoulder woe doesn’t rock the joint with the current club champion set for scans to determine the damage suffered in Saturday’s pre-season demolition of the Sydney Swans.
The midfielder lasted just 10 minutes of the Marsh Community Series match at Blacktown International Sportspark and was clearly in pain as he was helped off after pulling up sore as he reached for a ball in a contest.
The Giants said the shoulder ‘popped out and went back in straight away’ but scans will determine the damage and point to how long the 2019 Kevin Sheedy Medallist could be out.
Tim Taranto has been taken from the field with a right shoulder injury.
— AFL (@AFL) February 29, 2020
We hope to see the No.14 back on the field soon for the @GWSGIANTS 🤞#MarshSeries pic.twitter.com/sAbwoFN71L
There was also some early pain for Matt de Boer after powerful Swans draftee Will Gould ‘introduced himself’ to the Giants skipper for the day.
But de Boer (27 disposals) recovered swiftly to play his part in leading the orange and charcoal to an utterly comprehensive 19.7 (121) to 3.9 (27) thrashing of the Swans – a triumph which saw 11 different scorers for the Giants – Zac Langdon bagging five.
In a clash which saw the teams led by two members of the Swans Premiership-winning side of 2005, it was Amon Buchanan who came out on top against Brett Kirk.
It was a first chance for both Sydney sides to put all the hard work on the training track into practice, integrate new players and experiment.
Both sides were missing several stars due to their involvement in Friday night’s State of Origin bushfire fundraiser.
But the absence of key figures such as Stephen Coniglio, Jeremy Cameron, Lachie Whitfield and Jeremy Cameron for the Giants and Tom Papley, Jake Lloyd and Callum Mills for the Swans opened the door for others to seize their opportunity and stake a claim for a round one spot.
Draftees Tom Green and Lachie Ash enjoyed their first taste of action for the Giants - Green booting two majors on debut – with Dylan Stephens and Will Gould running out for the Swans. Trade period arrivals Kaiden Brand, Lewis Taylor and Sam Gray (Swans) pulled on the red and white guernsey with former Crow ruckman Sam Jacobs making his debut for the Giants.
The impressive Jacob Hopper (28 disposals) kicked the first goal of the clash inside three minutes as the Giants built up a 3.2 (20) to 2.0. (12) lead at the end of the first quarter. A strong second quarter from the Giants saw that lead blow out to 40 points with Zac Langdon kicking a treble during that period.
Jackson Hately seized his opportunity to stake a claim in the Giants side with 25 disposals for the match and a goal. The third quarter saw further pain for the Swans as the lead was increased to a 65-point margin.
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For the well beaten Swans, Ollie Florent (24 disposals), Luke Parker (24) and Harry Cunningham (21) led the way in disposals but the third quarter brought injury concern as Robbie Fox hobbled off. Only Nick Blakey, Will Hayward and Parker kicked majors for the Swans.
In the ruck, the returning Sam Naismith enjoyed 28 hitouts to Sam Jacobs’ 23.
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