‘They got bullied’: GWS Giants flex their muscles in demolition job

The GWS Giants have stamped their premiership credentials with a dominant display against one of the form teams in the competition.

GWS have flexed their Gather Round muscles on an in-form St Kilda at Norwood Oval on Sunday afternoon, defeating Ross Lyon’s side by 28 points.

The Giants held the majority of control throughout the first half, but an eight-goal third term is what blew the game beyond doubt, winning 16.14 (110) over the Saints’ 12.10 (82).

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Down and out by 50 points at the final break, the red, white and black remarkably kicked four goals in three minutes to start the last quarter to threaten an all-time comeback.

But a run of eight minor scores between the two teams meant that the final margin would hover around the four-to-six goal mark, and see the Giants shoot to a 4-1 record.

“Looks like the Saints have been told to play on at all costs here, (with) nothing to lose,” Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell observed during the final quarter.

“They’ve gone all chips in for this one, haven’t they?” Adelaide Crows legend Mark Ricciuto added.

Russell summarised by saying with the few minutes to play before the final siren: “At least Ross Lyon’s had a crack in this last quarter (and) didn’t put the cue in the rack. He pulled some levers to see what they could do.”

“They got bullied in the middle of the game though, didn’t they?” Ricciuto said seconds before the final siren.

The Giants made a late change an hour out from the first bounce, with eventual sub Toby McMullin replacing Xavier O’Halloran.

The Giants are rolling in 2025. (Photo by Maya Thompson/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

THE 3-2-1...

3. TOBY TEARS ST KILDA APART

Giants skipper Toby Greene had a day out at Norwood Oval as he equalled the five-goal record set by Lions Joe Daniher (v North Melbourne, 2024) and Eric Hipwood (v Bulldogs, 2025).

Greene was “licking his lips” when he got the Ryan Byrnes match up in his side’s 28-point win over St Kilda on Sunday.

It was Greene with the first goal of the match within the opening three minutes after he was left all alone inside 50.

He added a second in the second term before exploding in the third term.

Greene had three more goals in the third term in a dazzling display that saw the Giant kick their highest scoring quarter of the season – and their highest ever scoring quarter against the Saints.

“Toby Greene has been putting on a clinic,” Fox Footy’s Alastair Lynch said.

“He’s too good for them.”

“He’s been the Toby Greene we’ve come to know over so many years,” Mark Ricciuto added.

“He has just been superb today, super efficient. Really dangerous.”

Toby was on fire. Photo by Phil Hillyard

While Greene’s five-goal haul is the most he’s ever kicked against the Saints, the Fox Footy commentators were full of praise for the Giants’ attack end depth - given defenders have to split between Jesse Hogan, Jake Riccardi, Aaron Cadman, Greene and Jake Stringer.

“(Toby) is the first one they are matching up on,” Ricciuto said.

“Gives Jake Stringer the next best in defence.”

Hogan himself was providing St Kilda with headaches as he dominated in the air.

Saints defender Callum Wilkie coughed up a simple free kick goal to Hogan in the second term after “panicking” as the ball came in.

2. HOT START COUNTS FOR LITTLE

St Kilda were on from the opening bounce as they dominated the opening 12 minutes of the match against the Giants.

Looking like the finals contender many are already predicting, the Saints were +4 for clearances and +3 for centre clearances.

Yet Ross Lyon’s men only managed a two-goal buffer for their efforts.

And when the Giants finally settled into the contest at the narrower Norwood Oval, the Saints were overrun in worrying signs.

From that 12-minute mark of the opening term through to half time, the Giants were then +9 clearances and +6 from centre bounce and went 7.5 (47) to 3.1 (19) on the scoreboard.

Down but not out at the main break, the Saints were then “bullied” by the Giants in the third as they recorded their biggest ever quarter score against the club.

The day didn’t pan out for the Saints. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“It’s been a real touch up,” Mark Ricciuto said.

“They were up and about early,” Alastair Lynch added of the Saints, but said it had then been “one-way traffic”.

The Saints just couldn’t get their forward line firing as the Giants defence, led by Sam Taylor, got on top.

“They’ve got four tall defenders GWS – St Kilda have got the two tall forwards,” Ricciuto said.

“Taylor can just float across, intercept mark.”

Aside from a late charge in the final term to add respectability to the scoreboard, the Giants dominated the contest.

“Looks like the Saints have been told to play on at all costs here, (with) nothing to lose,” Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell observed during the final quarter.

“They’ve gone all chips in for this one, haven’t they?” Ricciuto added minutes later.

1. ‘EXTRAORDINARY’ STAT FOR YOUNG GIANT

When Giants youngster Harvey Thomas took to the field at Norwood Oval, he eclipsed Collingwood great Scott Pendlebury in a stunning stat.

Fox Footy’s Dwayne Russell revealed Thomas’ 2025 debut was held at his 12th different AFL venue.

That number is more than two-time Magpies premiership winner Pendlebury has ventured to in his entire 408-game career.

“Harvey Thomas has played at more venues in 23 games than Scott Pendlebury’s entire career,” Russell shared.

“Can you believe that?”

Fellow commentators Alastair Lynch and Mark Ricciuto were shocked by the stat.

“That is an extraordinary stat,” Lynch said.

“That’s a hornet’s nest you’re touching there,” he added laughing.

Ricciuto said that fact would be “getting the Collingwood fans angry” but again highlights the fixturing of Victorian teams versus an interstate outfit.

Originally published as ‘They got bullied’: GWS Giants flex their muscles in demolition job