Can the Swans finally smash the Giants’ September dominance?
In a sport that regularly basks in well-worn cliches, none is more apt than that finals present a different beast to the regular AFL season.
On Thursday morning, Port Adelaide were swaggering after a six-game winning streak that put them in the same conversation as the Swans as a strong premiership contender. By that night they had folded at home by 84 points to Geelong, reminding Sydney that the pressure of finals can do strange things to even the most accomplished teams.
The Swans have played the Giants three times in finals and lost all three, but what can they tell us about Saturday’s game?
2016: The Giants stand up to big brother when it counts
Swans 7.13 (55) Giants 12.19 (91)
There is an element of déjà vu with this qualifying final from 2016. The Swans had won the minor premiership, while the Giants arrived as underdogs. In 10 Sydney derbies before this final, the Giants had only won two. The Giants were also into their first-ever finals series having finished fourth, but played fearless football in front of 60,222 fans at ANZ Stadium, which deprived the Swans of the home comforts of the SCG.
The game was a turning point in the history of the Giants, as young players that went on to form a core part of their later success outplayed the Swans, including Stephen Coniglio and Lachie Whitfield.
Future captain Toby Greene got two goals and full forward Jeremy Cameron got four, outshining Swans champion Lance Franklin, who three years earlier had turned down the opportunity to help build the Giants.
The Giants had swarmed the Swans with relentless pressure and tackles, perhaps best typified by former Sydney player Shane Mumford, who laid down a physical marker that helped to inspire his young team. The previously ignored little brothers had made their mark and the rivalry was set.
2018 Giants clinically eliminate Sydney at the SCG
Sydney 4.6 (30) Giants 10.19 (79)
Two years later it was a different story for both clubs, with the Swans finishing sixth and the Giants in seventh in the regular season, forcing them into an elimination final at the SCG with no hope of second chances.
Giants coach Leon Cameron, now the general manager of football at the Swans, took an educated gamble, bringing back Greene from an extended injury lay-off and the star forward repaid him spectacularly, collecting 27 disposals and kicking three majors, showing that September is where he does his very best work.
The Giants condemned the Swans to their lowest score at the SCG, as Franklin struggled with a groin injury and was marshalled out of the game by GWS defender Phil Davis.
The decisive defeat was captured perfectly by Swans coach John Longmire: “Nothing went right for us and everything went wrong.”
2021 Giants triumph in one-point thriller in Tassie
Swans 11.8 (73) Giants 10.13 (74)
Two years later, the Swans and Giants finished in identical positions of sixth and seventh, but COVID-19 had changed everything off the field, with both clubs forced to play their elimination final in Launceston.
The Sydney rivals played out the game of the season as the Giants dominated until early in the third quarter with a lead of 29 points, before the Swans staged an impressive comeback.
Swans forward Isaac Heeney kicked two of his four goals in a frantic last quarter with his side having ample opportunities to kill-off the game, but ultimately the Giants hung on, inspired once again by an impressive Greene, who spearheaded his side with three goals.
2024 a chance to write a new story for the Swans?
When asked on Thursday about taking any inspiration from the Giants’ finals record against the Swans, GWS coach Adam Kingsley preferred to focus on this season.
“We haven’t really spoken about the [finals] history,” Kingsley said. “Recent history would suggest the Swans are a far better team than us, and they’ve beaten us twice this year.”
The Swans won in round eight by 29 points at the SCG and in round 15 in Western Sydney by 27 points.
In both games, the Swans’ talented midfield trio of Chad Warner, Heeney and notably Errol Gulden helped their side to dominate clearances and possession, leaving the Giants’ normal pressure game ineffective.
After the Swans’ victory in round 15, they suffered a brief slump, only winning a single game against North Melbourne in their last six, before winning their last three games and reminding the competition of their class.
Kieren Briggs of the Giants competes for the ball against Brodie Grundy of the SwansCredit: Getty
The Giants have also been impressive, going on a seven-game winning streak before losing their final game of the regular season against the Bulldogs.
The clash of the midfielders will be crucial to shaping the outcome of this game with the Giants’ impressive trio of Josh Kelly, Coniglio and Tom Green motivated to shut down the Swans All-Australian trio of Warner, Heeney and Gulden.
The Giants’ rebounding halfback Whitfield’s elite ball-use was curbed by the constant attention of the Swans’ James Jordon this year. If Whitfield can shake the tag, it opens more opportunities for the Giants’ attack to open up and to unleash the forward threat of Coleman medallist Jesse Hogan and Greene.
Equally, the full-strength Swans have small forward Tom Papley, a proven performer, back from injury and know the stage is perfectly set at the SCG for them to rewrite their unwanted September record against the Giants.
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