GWS Giants, Leon Cameron prove doubters wrong in biggest prelim upset since 1999 Carlton-Essendon epic
At the end of a savage week which typified a challenging season, GWS somehow found the will to hold off Collingwood’s last-quarter surge in the best preliminary final since Carlton’s epic 1999 win over Essendon.
Mark Robinson
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Orange is the new black.
And it has a heart and substance, which should be admired across the football world.
This was more than epic.
This was thrilling and gut-wrenching and mesmerising and, for the Giants, it was a historical marker for a team not yet eight years old.
The 120-year old Collingwood Football Club was beaten by the orange newbies of western Sydney in what was biggest preliminary final upset since 1999.
That year, Carlton won the unwinnable and Essendon fans are still crying themselves to sleep.
This loss might be even more sorrowful for the Magpies.
It was certainly a gutsy win, a glorious win, a win against the odds and injury and, according to the Giants, against AFL officialdom.
It was a week in which a burgeoning football club stood up for itself against a hostile world of accusation and dismissal.
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And the football team was doubly as dogged.
The Pies came in as the overwhelming favourites and departed with their heads bowed, beaten by a team which was smarter, tougher, quicker and cleaner for the most of the night on a soggy, dark-grey MCG.
The final score was 8.8 (56) to 7.10 (52).
There shouldn’t be anything but pride and admiration for the Giants.
Do note, they were a mob decimated by injury and suspension.
They may have lost key personnel, but they never lost their attitude and desperation which overwhelmed Collingwood for three quarters.
The Pies were plucky in the final quarter.
They kicked three goals in the first three quarters and then three goals in six minutes in the final quarter to inflame the pro-Collingwood crowd.
When Josh Thomas kicked his second goal of the quarter at the 22nd minute to make the margin six points — which was controversial in itself — the game set itself for a last-man standing body count.
Collingwood peppered and peppered the goals, but came up short.
Chris Mayne had a shot at goal, but it was touched on the line.
Then Taylor Adams’ left-foot snap hit the post.
And then it was a slogfest.
The Giants were on their knees and the Pies were running on top of the ground as they set about saving their season.
The last four minutes were thrilling and desperate and inspiring as player after player threw themselves at the contest and at loose balls.
It was British Bulldogs with 360-degree contact.
As soon as a player had the ball in his hands, he had to get rid it, because an army of the opposition was bearing down.
At the siren, the ball was inside Collingwood’s 50m area, where it had largely lived for the final four minutes.
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Gee, this was magnificent from the Giants and from the coach Leon Cameron.
Where are all those AFL officials who reportedly don’t want Cameron to coach their “expansion” club?
Where are they? Who are they?
Perhaps it would be honourable if these faceless cowards who tried to undermine the campaign of western Sydney from docklands Melbourne called the coach and apologised.
Because he deserves it.
Not only has it been a savage week for the Giants, it’s been a challenging season.
They lost Callan Ward to injury in Round 4.
They lost key forward Jon Patton to a third ACL.
Stephen Coniglio went down with a knee, Lachie Whitfield was hit with appendicitis and Toby Greene was hit the stupidity stick.
Then co-captain Phil Davis was injured in the first quarter.
He played out of full-forward after that. The instruction was try to compete and be part of the rotation.
He had three touches, one of them being deep in the final quarter in defence, where it seemed every Giants player had set up camp.
As the Pies slunk from the field, the jubilant Giants were beside themselves.
Dreams aren’t made of this — movies are made because of this.
Against the odds, on the road, in front a hostile crowd ... this was a victory for the believers who wear orange.
Dare say the AFL would be mightily pleased as well.
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