GWS Giants win classic semi-final against Brisbane Lions
The GWS Giants have set up a shot at a first ever Grand Final appearance with a pulsating win against Brisbane in one of the best finals in recent seasons.
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The GWS Giants rallied to win the game of the season and are now just one stage away from the club’s first ever AFL Grand Final.
The Brisbane Lions dominated the territory game in the final quarter of the pulsating knockout semi-final at the Gabba, but the Giants defence refused to yield, opening the door for unheralded small forward Brett Daniels to steal a 83-80 victory with a stunning late running goal.
In a thrilling contest which had 10 lead changes throughout, GWS ultimately defied a tsunami of pressure in the final term, giving up 19 inside-50s to seven, yet secured their first ever finals win on the road thanks to the resilience of captain Phil Davis, Aidan Corr, Nick Haynes and Zac Williams at the back.
Davis and Haynes took intercept mark after intercept mark to build a wall the Lions couldn’t get over, and they depart the finals in straight sets, forced to rue agonising shots from Eric Hipwood and Oscar McInerney in the final quarter that hit the post.
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Allen Christensen looked like the matchwinner for Brisbane when he caused the 30,034 strong crowd to erupt with the go-ahead goal, only for pocket dynamo Daniels, who has just 30 career games to his name, to cut loose down the right flank and kick straight to deliver a moment for the ages.
“Great composure for a second year player to kick that goal under such enormous pressure in such a big game,” said coach, Leon Cameron.
“I thought our boys kicked into gear with that last two and a half minutes. They played some great defence.
“It was an epic game and obviously one we’re rapt with.”
GWS lost a memorable preliminary final to the Western Bulldogs in 2016, but now have another shot at the big dance, in a year where most had written them off.
“We have a seven day break, we jump on a plane more than any other footy club. We’re used to going back to back road trips and obviously back to back road trip this week against the Pies,” Cameron said.
“We’re confident they’ll respond. No doubt they (pulsating finals) can drain you.. I’m confident our guys will do everything off the field to get right.
“We go to the MCG full of confidence. We’ve won our first two finals but the preliminary finals are the hardest game to win.”
While GWS star Stephen Coniglio (knee) is an outside chance to play next week, Toby Greene heads to the MCG for a preliminary final blockbuster against Collingwood as a wanted man, the Giant booed with every touch by a Gabba crowd baying for blood.
The game-breaking star did not disappoint, playing a key role in a spiteful contest in which players from both sides were involved in constant skirmishes throughout the night.
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It was footy from the 1980s for much of the night, but despite that era being before almost all the Giants were born, they showed for the second week in a row how hard and uncompromising they can be.
Perhaps the only blight on the spectacle was the 54 free kicks awarded by the umpires, who threatened to steal the show by blowing the pea out of the whistle.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley was in the stands watching on, and his Magpies would have taken some delight watching two sides bashing each other up in a non-stop contest.
CAMERON CARNAGE
The first quarter felt like an entire match in itself, with the tone set by the stunning early injury to Brisbane’s All-Australian superstar Charlie Cameron.
As Cameron went off nursing a sickening hyper-extension to his elbow, GWS went on an ominous all-out assault kicking the first four goals of the match in quick succession – all with Cameron off the field.
The first two came as a double-whammy when Toby Greene’s opener was immediately followed by a heated clash between the two sides which resulted in a free kick to Jeremy Finlayson, nailed by the in-form forward from comfortable range.
But Cameron bravely returned with strapping to his elbow – and soon the tide turned.
When Cameron took a brilliant mark wide-out and took the impact of a heavy collision into the Gabba turf, he slotted a memorable goal that brought the crowd to its feet.
It was the third straight goal for the Lions, and that soon became five straight as the home side seized the lead by quarter time.
TAG OFF
Tagging demon Matt de Boer did not disappoint with another sterling lock-down job on Brisbane star Lachie Neale.
But the Lions chose to fight fire with fire and youngster Nick Robertson shut GWS game-changer Lachie Whitfield down like no team has managed all year.
Experts have started to talk up Whitfield as the best player in the AFL, but the running weapon was restricted to just one touch in the frenetic first quarter and didn’t get much go his way in the second either.
Whitfield seemed rattled by the unfamiliar attention as the Giants lost the man with perhaps the biggest influence on their style of play.
Neale had just nine touches in the first half, as de Boer dominated him physically and also managed to influence the offence with 13 disposals in the opening two quarters.
Originally published as GWS Giants win classic semi-final against Brisbane Lions
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