GWS Giants clip Collingwood over AFL banner fail

The rivalry between the Giants and Collingwood is heating up, with both teams firing shots in a spiteful night in Sydney.

Some rivalries in professional sport are manufactured, others are very, very real, and it seems GWS’ budding conflict with Collingwood falls very much in the latter category.

While the young GWS outfit has a firm rivalry with the cross-town Swans and at times with the Western Bulldogs, there is some genuine feeling bubbling away when it comes to the Pies.

Giants chief executive Dave Matthews left no doubt about his feelings when he stated “we hate Collingwood almost as much as we hate the Swans” in the pre-season.

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The fire has been stoked by Collingwood’s one-point victory in last year’s preliminary final, with the Pies marching on to the flag while the Giants licked their wounds and counted down to a home clash in opening round.

The Giants also upset Collingwood by four points in a 2019 preliminary final.

And it hasn’t taken long for shots to be fired from both camps in Saturday night’s season-opening clash.

There is actually a lot to unpack here.

They* pic.twitter.com/AzHqmBsIjW

— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) March 9, 2024

We can start with Mason Cox calling the GWS home ground at Sydney Olympic Park “a showground for livestock”.

The Giants responded by constructing an actual petting zoo in the stadium for the game, along with sheep and a Mason Cox cardboard cut out.

Pretty harmless stuff, good fun really.

Cox then found his way into a pre-match GWS warm-up and took a ball-up from ex-Giants ruckman Shane Mumford, who was far from amused.

It was a brave move as the man known as “Mummy” is far from affectionate on a footy field, even in retirement.

Team banners are also an easy target at times and the GWS media department, regularly credited as being among the sharpest in the competition, took an easy win on this one.

Mason Cox called the Giants home “a showground for livestock”

Giants response: A Mason Cox petting zoo inside the ground #AFLGiantsPiespic.twitter.com/FuP121rZKt

— Mitch Cleary (@cleary_mitch) March 9, 2024

The Collingwood banner was supposed to say on one side “Roses are red, Giants seem blue, they “hate” us, but we don’t mind you”, signed off with a kiss.

The problem was the Y from the word “they” had fallen off, which the Giants media team jumped on with a cheeky caption repeating the offending word.

Fans from both sides responded to that one.

“As a Pies fan, I’m disappointed by this. Surely someone proof read this – apparently not,” wrote another.

“GWS Giants social team 1, Collingwood cheer squad 0,” added a third.

One fan was keen to take the matter even further than an apparent missing letter.

Bit of early spice in this one 🍿

📺 Watch #AFLGiantsPies LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/c5VwhmeFbG
✍️ BLOG https://t.co/OtYkvhdRHa
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/veJVSpHXoupic.twitter.com/LMwm6g3BCD

— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) March 9, 2024

“Poor spelling aside, it makes no sense,” they wrote. “‘They hate us but we don’t mind you’.

“Who is the You? If it was the giants would it be “you hate us?” I’m so CONFUSED.”

The action that really matters of course happens on the field and there was plenty of feeling in the contest.

Late in the first quarter, Collingwood’s Brody Mihocek took out GWS’ Sam Taylor in a cheap shot over the boundary line that surprisingly wasn’t punished by the umpires.

One surly Collingwood fan couldn’t help a reference to last year’s prelim, which ended with scenes of Giants captain Toby Greene in tears.

“We won the cup and your captain cried, but we are the sooks apparenlty hahaha,” they wrote, including the unfortunate spelling error.

We’re going to need more popcorn to keep up with this one.

Originally published as GWS Giants clip Collingwood over AFL banner fail