AFL: Giants dismiss Dockers to stay in the finals hunt

Greater Western Sydney has delivered with its season on the line, rediscovering its attacking to beat Fremantle by 38 points.

Jake Riccardi of the Giants handballs over his head against Ethan Hughes of the Dockers during the round-14 AFL match between Fremantle and the Greater Western Sydney at Optus Stadium on Saturday. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Greater Western Sydney delivered with its season on the line, rediscovering its attacking edge to beat the Fremantle Dockers by 38 points at Perth Stadium on Saturday.

The Giants overcame the loss of injured star midfielder Josh Kelly to kick their highest score since round one and remain in the finals hunt, winning 14.7 (91) to 8.5 (53).

Kelly suffered concussion late in the second quarter when teammate Shane Mumford’s knee collected him high in a gruesome incident, ending his match.

Josh Kelly of the Giants is assisted from the field. Picture: Getty Images

But the Giants pressed on to notch an impressive win, with their midfield setting up the victory while key forwards Jake Riccardi and Jeremy Cameron finished it off with four goals each.

Midfielder Tim Taranto, captain Stephen Coniglio and halfback Lachie Whitfield were all superb as the Giants controlled the stoppages and dominated possession in a complete performance.

GWS has appeared to lack urgency and dare in their Perth matches, but on Saturday they played with a blend of skill and toughness, and control and attack more reminiscent of their brilliant 2019 season.

It started in the middle, where ruckman Mumford won his battle with Sean Darcy, and midfield trio Taranto (25 disposals and five clearances), Coniglio (24 and three) and Jacob Hopper (23 and four) got on top.

The sideways kicking way gone and the dangerous ball-movement was back when opportunities presented, with Whitfield the architect off halfback with a game-high 31 disposals.

Back in form after back-to-back losses, the Giants will now relocate to Queensland to play their next three games in nine-day period, against Carlton, Adelaide and Melbourne.

The competition will not have forgotten how dangerous the Giants can be, and Saturday’s win will have premiership contenders concerned if it leads to GWS rediscovering its best football.

Down on form and under the microscope, Coleman medallist Cameron made an immediate impression and spearheaded a four-goal run to open the match.

The star Giant kicked two goals in a minute as he outsmarted in-form opponent Luke Ryan and converted his set shots from long range.

Goalless against West Coast last week, and with 18 goals for the season coming into Saturday’s clash, Cameron had not played with the presence he is known for.

But he lifted with his team’s finals chances on the line.

When second-game forward Riccardi kicked the Giants’ fourth straight goal 17 minutes into the opening term, the inside 50s were a lopsided 13-2 and GWS had taken six marks inside 50 to zero. The Dockers never recovered.

Returning from a hamstring injury, tagger Matt de Boer was quick to remind his old team of the value he now provides GWS.

A member of the Dockers’ Grand Final team in 2013, de Boer went straight to former teammate Nat Fyfe and put the clamps on, holding the dual Brownlow medallist to four possessions in the first half.

Fyfe moved into a deep forward role halfway through the second quarter to shake the attention, with de Boer’s efforts a win for the former Docker and the GWS coaches’ box.

The defensive job of Lachie Keeffe on in-form Fremantle forward Matt Taberner was also significant, with Nick Haynes peeling off to hold the Dockers’ best forward target to two goals and three marks.

NCA NewsWire