Sydney vs. GWS – The top five matches played between the Swans and Giants ranked in what has become a fierce rivalry
It’s become one of the fiercest rivalries in the AFL built on a series of cracking regular season and finals contests, but which Swans v GWS games are the best? LACHLAN MCKIRDY runs down the top five.
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The Sydney Derby has quickly established itself as one of the best rivalries in the AFL and Saturday afternoon’s clash between the Swans and Giants is set to be more of the same.
Both teams sit inside the top four and are among the premiership favourites. With a crowd of more than 40,000 people anticipated, this match could be one of the best footy fans in NSW have ever seen.
“To be able to have two teams that over the years been able to play finals against each other, I think that’s been a real credit,” John Longmire said.
Outside of finals, there has arguably never been more on the line for the all-Sydney battle. Ahead of the clash, we look back at the five best men’s Swans-Giants matches in history.
5. 2016 Qualifying Final – Sydney 7.13.55 def. by GWS 12.19.91 at ANZ Stadium
It was only appropriate that the Giants’ first-ever foray into finals was against their cross-town rival, the Swans. In front of more than 60,000 fans at Sydney Olympic Park, a new record for any match involving GWS, the Giants stormed home to claim their first of three finals victories over the Swans.
Two early goals to livewire Tom Papley saw the Swans threaten to run away with the game early. But for the first two and a half quarters, the game turned into an intense arm wrestle. A pivotal moment in the third quarter saw Isaac Heeney denied a mark before Jeremy Cameron went down the other end to kick his first of three goals for the term.
The Giants kicked seven goals to two in the second half with the orange tsunami on full display and little brother came away with the biggest set of bragging rights that had been on offer to date.
4. Round 21, 2023 – GWS 12.13.85 def. by Sydney 15.6.96 at Giants Stadium
A poor start to the season for both teams meant that the Swans and Giants spent the majority of 2023 chasing their tail. Coming into this round 21 clash, both sides desperately needed a win to enhance their top-eight chances and as a result they played with a finals-like intensity.
The story of the first half was the Swans taking every chance that came their way, kicking 11 goals without a behind to grab a slender lead. That included stunning majors to both Errol Gulden and Isaac Heeney as well as a marking masterclass from Hayden McLean.
GWS threatened to stage another late comeback with two late goals to Toby Greene and Callan Ward bringing the margin to within a score, but a late sealer from Chad Warner ensured Sydney came away with the four points and kept their top-eight hopes alive.
3. Round 20, 2019 – GWS 12.11.83 def. Sydney 12.9.81 at Giants Stadium
The Swans were staring down their first season without finals since 2009, but they clearly came into this match with the hopes of damaging the Giants’ own finals chances.
Sydney kicked the first three goals of the game, including two to Tom Papley, to leave the Giants Stadium crowd silenced early in the match. However, the home team launched a spirited comeback to open up a 20-point lead early in the third quarter.
The Swans weren’t to be outdone, as Isaac Heeney kicked his fourth goal late in the match to bring his side within three points. Sydney had all the territory in the final two minutes, but the relentless pressure from the Giants saw them hang on to the lead for a valuable win as they went on to make their first grand final later that season.
2. Round 7, 2023 – Sydney 16.10.106 def. by GWS 17.5.107 at SCG
This game had it all. Big comebacks, stunning goals and a headline moment from Toby Greene to break Sydney’s hearts.
Last year’s edition of this rivalry at the SCG was as good a game of footy as you could ask for. The Giants started quicker, opening up a 10-point lead by half time thanks to two-goal hauls to both Greene and Xavier O’Halloran. But a spirited forward performance from Lance Franklin, Will Hayward and Logan McDonald seemingly wrapped the game up for the hosts with a four-goal lead in the final term.
Enter Greene, who kicked two late goals including one with under a minute left on the clock to deliver his team the narrowest of victories and easily the most important of Adam Kingsley’s first two months in charge.
1. 2021 Elimination Final – Sydney 10.13.73 def. by GWS 11.8.74 at York Park
Who would have thought that a small ground in Launceston would host one of the greatest finals matches in AFL history? With Covid still heavily impacting the competition, the third-ever final between the Swans and Giants was hosted at York Park in Tasmania.
As it was an elimination final, everything was on the line. And in the early stages, it seemed as though the Giants were the ones up for the task as they opened up a 29-point lead in the second half thanks to three Toby Greene goals.
But the Swans swarmed home, gaining all the momentum on the back of two fourth-quarter goals from Isaac Heeney. They had ample opportunities to hit the lead, including a Lance Franklin set shot reminiscent of his famous goal from 2007 in the elimination final against Adelaide. However, Sydney finished with six-straight behinds, including three attempts that hit the post, to agonisingly end the game just one point behind their rivals.
The result meant the Giants maintained a perfect 3-0 win in finals against the Swans. But they’re already on track to meet again, potentially on the final Saturday in September, later this year.
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Originally published as Sydney vs. GWS – The top five matches played between the Swans and Giants ranked in what has become a fierce rivalry
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