AFL finals: GWS dirty tactics, tiny crowd and bizarre stadium PA chants

Footy fans have gone into meltdown over GWS’ physical play and the sparse crowd at Giants Stadium, as a dirty day for the Bulldogs was been compounded by a report and a serious knee injury to a young star.

The crowd was sparse, but the Dogs have been struck by a serious injury to young star Aaron Naughton.

“Let’s go, Giants, let’s go”.

Something you’d expect over the speakers at a basketball game, but not traditionally at the footy.

But that’s what fans heard at Giants Stadium during Greater Western Sydney’s Elimination Final smashing of the Western Bulldogs — and they were not happy.

Have you ever heard cheering audio played during an AFL match? Like basketball?
“Let’s go giants let’s go” periodically through the speaker. Is this even legal? #AFLGiantsDogs #AFLFinals

— Chris Holland (@TheSongNerd) September 7, 2019

This is a bloody joke @AFL
The Giants have a guy chanting over the PA system DURING GAME PLAY.
Surely this can’t happen during a final?@westernbulldogs #AFLFinals #AFLGiantsDogs

— The JayStick JXT (@JXT_Official_) September 7, 2019

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There were plenty of empty seats in the stadium — the top tier of the Suttor Stand empty — with estimates the crowd was “50-50”, even though the Doggies fans had to travel to Western Sydney — and some even missed their flights.

Leon Cameron should complain to the AFL about his home final sounding like an away game. It’s not fair they are outnumbered like that. 😜 #AFLGiantsDogs

— CFC2010✨ (@Craigsta9010) September 7, 2019

When the camera pans around Giants Stadium to show far more Bulldogs fans than Giants fans (especially when you consider the travel delays due to gale-force winds) is that not the most damning indictment of the Giants franchise that there is? #AFLGiantsDogs

— Kitch 🇦🇺 (@kitchtrips) September 7, 2019

Was about to comment on ‘good’ crowd size ...... until they panned back and showed the sparsely populated upper deck. #AFLGiantsDogs

— Henry Louis (@thechemistryguy) September 7, 2019

That orange you see in the crowd majority aren’t gws supporters btw lol. Those are empty orange seats #AFLGiantsDogs pic.twitter.com/FmeaachwtO

— mitch (@mwilson_44) September 7, 2019

The top tier is sparse at Giants Stadium. Picture: Phil Hillyard

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If all that wasn’t enough, the shadow looming over the Giants Stadium ground is making it hard to watch.

Playing a day final at this ground is just like opening the roof at Marvel... shocking viewing #AFLFinals #AFLGiantsDogs

— Chris Koulouriotis (@CKoula) September 7, 2019

Anyone else struggling with the shadow across half the ground? #AFLGiantsDogs

— Jack Plant (@J_Planty) September 7, 2019

STAR DOG’S KNEE SHOCK

Gun forward Aaron Naughton looked in all sorts after hyperextending his knee after coming down in a marking contest.

The 19-year-old soared and then landed awkwardly late in the third quarter, left on the ground in the hands of trainers, clutching his left knee.

He was helped off gingerly and was assessed on a massage table near the Dogs’ dugout.

Naughton had just the five touches to go with three marks, but had two of the Dogs’ seven goals when he went down.

Footy manager Chris Maple told Seven at three-quarter time Naughton had hurt the lateral ligament in his knee and would take no further part in the match.

An ACL could have required a reconstruction and a season on the sidelines for the young gun.

But a lateral ligament — similar to that of Crow Josh Jenkins earlier in the season — is less serious and will give him ample time to recover for 2019.

Aaron Naughton has been assisted from the ground after landing awkwardly in this marking contest. #AFLGiantsDogs pic.twitter.com/EXWJYtmFNP

— AFL.com.au (@AFLcomau) September 7, 2019

This doesn't look good for Aaron Naughton. In lots of pain with left knee injury. Had to be helped from field. Docs looking him over now. Fingers crossed for him. #aflgiantsdogs

— Sam Edmund (@SammyHeraldSun) September 7, 2019

SUCKLING ON REPORT

Dashing Western Bulldog Matthew Suckling was placed on report after he cannoned into Giants’ superstar Josh Kelly.

Kelly put his head over the footy and Suckling lead with his elbow — never a good sign — flooring the gun Giant.

Suckling’s one saving grace would be that he didn’t quite catch Kelly flush and appeared to make minimal contact with the Giants’ head.

To add insult to injury, Kelly showed off the full measure of his incredible talent, threading through the resultant free kick from a difficult angle.

ALBERTI NOT HAPPY WITH GIANTS TACTICS

Before his injury, Naughton had earlier copped one in the nose and had to go off the ground with plenty of claret pouring out.

Marcus Bontempelli was the victim of a gut punch from Harry Himmelberg — who could attract scrutiny from the MRO — in the first quarter and then a smack in the mouth in the second, which forced him off.

Bulldogs patron Susan Alberti wasn’t happy with the Giants’ tactics.

GWS are playing dirty. Hope Bont is ok. This is supposed to be a game of AFL football. Go the mighty DOGS.

— Susan Alberti AC (@SusanAlberti1) September 7, 2019

This is getting fiery! 🔥🔥🔥https://t.co/yRlGEYAnhX #AFLGiantsDogs #AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/jWfkzn4Nk8

— SuperFooty (AFL) (@superfooty) September 7, 2019

It's purely coincidental that every time a Dogs player lays a tackle they encounter an "errant" elbow, and "stray" arm or an "accidental" punch in the guts.#AFLGiantsDogs

— stuart cassin (@CassinStuart) September 7, 2019

Now how on earth did the umpire miss the punch to Bonty’s gut, I can only assume just like the rest of the game they’re letting the giants get away with a bit. #asusual @afl bias #AFLGiantsDogs

— Disgruntled (@Disgruntledude) September 7, 2019

My second favourite team is getting roasted by the umps, umpires only paying the 50/50 the Giants way. Not to mention giants getting away with behind the play punches @afl #plasticteam #AFLGiantsDogs

— Leyla Dimonti (@LeylaDimonti) September 7, 2019

It wasn’t all the Giants exerting their physicality, though, with Tim Taranto forced off the ground to have his head bandaged.

There was plenty of angst directed at Giants’ star Toby Greene — Dogs fans unhappy that he was antagonising his opponents and tearing it up with eight possessions and two goals early in the match.

Toby Greene needs his own ARC #AFLGiantsDogs #AFLFinals

— Peter Kennelly (@KennellyPeter) September 7, 2019

Toby Greene would have to be the dirtiest player in the game. #AFLGiantsDogs

— Brendan Norton (@notronbrendan) September 7, 2019

Greene is such a grub. A gun, but grub #AFLGiantsDogs

— PB (@Polche81) September 7, 2019