Match Details:

GIANTS v Kangaroos
Saturday, March 16 at 4:35pm
ENGIE Stadium | Wangal Country

What it Means for the GIANTS

The GIANTS fired a warning shot to the rest of the competition on Saturday with an impressive 32-point win over reigning premiers Collingwood and now they’ll look to back it up in a round one clash with the Kangaroos.

Back at the newly-named ENGIE Stadium, the GIANTS will be hoping to replicate Saturday’s red-hot form which saw the orange tsunami surge with nine of 11 goals either side of half-time against the Magpies - at one point leading by 52 points midway through the fourth quarter - to eventually run out 18.6 (114) to 11.16 (82) victors.

With Callum Brown (five goals), Jesse Hogan (four goals), and Brent Daniels (four goals) combining for 13 goals to lead an extremely potent forward line, the GIANTS spoiled the reigning premiers’ party but must now back it up against a young and hungry Kangaroos side looking to start their season off with a bang.

While Saturday’s season-opener was almost the perfect start to their 2024 campaign, the GIANTS did suffer a casualty from the game, with veteran midfielder Callan Ward injuring the AC joint in his right shoulder to sideline him for six to eight weeks.

Notorious for starting the season slow in the past few years, the GIANTS will be looking to buck that trend by taking down the Kangaroos on Saturday to claim back-to-back wins to start the 2024 season.

The Opposition

The Kangaroos will enter the round one match-up fresh and raring to go as one of the 10 remaining clubs ready to start their 2024 campaign after watching Opening Round from afar.

After several seasons lingering at the bottom of the ladder, the ‘Roos will be hoping that their second season under four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson will prove to be their most fruitful campaign in years.

Having lost veterans Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington and Aaron Hall to retirement, and Todd Goldstein and Ben McKay to the Bombers, the Kangaroos will enter 2024 with the youngest and least-experienced list in the AFL but littered with young talent.

Led by young stars Luke Davies-Uniacke, Nick Larkey, 2023 Rising Star winner Harry Sheezel, and promising midfielder George Wardlaw, as well as highly touted draftee Colby McKercher, the ‘Roos will be hoping their crop of young talent can help turn their fortunes around in season 2024.

North Melbourne however will enter their clash with the GIANTS on Saturday without one of their key pieces, with skipper Jye Simpkin ruled out with concussion following the head-high bump from Saint Jimmy Webster in their AAMI Community Series clash two weeks ago.

Recent History

The GIANTS have had the wood over the Kangaroos in recent times, having won five of the last six encounters between the two sides.

In their most recent clash, the only match-up between the sides last season, the GIANTS broke the game open with a strong second-half to run away 15.13 (103) to 11.9 (75) winners at Hobart’s Blundstone Arena in round 13.

With just five points separating the sides at half-time, skipper Toby Greene kicked two crucial goals in the third term as the GIANTS jumped out to a four-goal lead at the final break on their way to a 28-point win.

Greene finished with 24 disposals and three goals in a starring role, while Callan Ward (26 touches), Tom Green (26 touches) and Stephen Coniglio (25 touches, seven clearances) were all strong contributors.

For the ‘Roos, Liam Shiels (29 touches, seven clearances), Harry Sheezel (24 touches), and Nick Larkey (four goals) led from the front.

Key Match-Up: ‘Slammer’ v ‘Souv’

One of the games within Saturday’s game will be the match-up between two of the competition’s elite key position players.

On one side you have star GIANTS defender and 2022 All -Australian fullback Sam Taylor who, over the past few seasons, has cemented himself as one of the competition’s best one-on-one defenders. Affectionally known at the club and by GIANTS fans as ‘Slammer’, Taylor’s ability to curtail the competition’s best key forwards and minimise their impact has placed his name amongst the AFL’s elite.

Taylor’s talents will be put to the test once more on Saturday as he faces a likely match-up with another young star of the competition in Kangaroos spearhead Nick Larkey. Affectionally known by North Melbourne fans as ‘Souv’, the mobile star forward kicked a career-best 71 goals from 23 games last season to earn his maiden All-Australian blazer.

Two of the AFL’s best young key position players, the likely matchup of ‘Slammer’ v ‘Souv’ is worth entry on its own and likely to have a huge influence on the outcome of Saturday’s match.

GIANTS Player to Watch

GIANTS star Lachie Whitfield was back to his brilliant best last season and if Saturday’ Opening Round performance is anything to go by there’s still plenty left in the tank for the dashing defender.

Averaging 27 disposals, 5.8 marks and 461m gained per game last season to play a key role in the GIANTS’ thrilling run to the preliminary final, Whitfield started his 2024 campaign in similar fashion on Saturday, finishing with a team-high 33 disposals and a match-high 14 marks in a superb display off half-back.

Looking to make it consecutive wins to start the season, the GIANTS will be hoping Whitfield can continue his sizzling start to 2024 against the Kangaroos on Saturday. 

In the Mix

With Callan Ward ruled out for six to eight weeks with a shoulder injury, there’ll be at least one change to Adam Kingsley’s side to take on North Melbourne on Saturday.

In good news for the club, reliable defender Harry Perryman is set to return to the GIANTS’ line-up on Saturday after recovering from a pre-season hamstring injury.

Emerging star Finn Callaghan is also in contention to play his first game of the season on Saturday, with the 20-year-old midfielder to be a test for the clash after overcoming a minor shoulder injury before sustaining a cut to his foot over the weekend.

Callaghan received stitches for the cut on Saturday and will increase his training across the week before a decision is made regarding his availability.

Team Selection

The GIANTS will name their team to take on the Kangaroos at 6:20pm on Thursday at gwsgiants.com.au.

Rehab Report

Get a full injury update ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Kangaroos here.

Where to Watch

Saturday’s match will be shown live on 7Mate in NSW and the ACT as well as Fox Footy and Kayo nationally from 4:30pm.

Social Media

Be part of the #BigBigSound in 2024 - For all the latest news, follow @GWSGIANTS on social media: Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram.

The GIANTS have overcome a spirited challenge from a new-look North Melbourne to run away to a 39-point triumph on Saturday.

The GIANTS gradually wore down the sharp-shooting Kangaroos as Jesse Hogan dominated up forward for the second week running in the 17.19 (121) to 13.4 (82) victory at ENGIE Stadium.

Hogan booted six goals - on the back of four against Collingwood in Opening Round - while hauling in eight marks and gathering 18 disposals, while Jake Riccardi made a fast-start with three majors in the first quarter against the Kangaroos' under-sized and inexperienced backline.

The Roos' already decimated defence was again hit by injury when young half-back Josh Goater dropped to the turf and grabbed at his lower leg after an innocuous incident with no one else nearby in the dying stages.

GIANTS onballer Tom Green made his mark as much around the ground as at the stoppages to finish with 37 disposals, eight tackles, six clearances and a goal, while Josh Kelly had 24 touches and booted two majors in his 200th match.

Stephen Coniglio (30 disposals) and Lachie Whitfield (29) found plenty of the ball as the GIANTS looked to link up through the corridor, but captain Toby Greene paid the price for wayward kicking to finish with 0.4.

The Kangaroos made 12 changes from their round one team last year including the addition of highly-touted draftees Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma.

Ball magnet McKercher made an immediate impact with nine disposals in the opening term while being trusted with kick-in duties on debut. The No.2 pick looked to create opportunities off half-back and regularly impressed with his slick kicking while gathering 22 disposals.

Duursma opened the scoring for the Kangaroos after streaming forward to leave his marker trailing behind and receiving a handball from Paul Curtis on the edge of the goalsquare in the first term. The No.4 pick added another major following a high-leaping mark in a promising debut.

The Roos booted eight goals straight in the first half to stay in touch with the GIANTS, even as the hosts held the sway around much of the ground with their rapid transitions. 

Luke Davies-Uniacke (29 disposals, eight clearances) and Tom Powell (26, six) were keys to the Kangaroos getting on top around the stoppages (32-27), while reigning Rising Star winner Harry Sheezel (32) was critical to their better ball movement.

Nick Larkey edged an enthralling duel with Sam Taylor despite the GIANTS' gun defender winning the battle in the air, as the Roos' stand-in skipper found other ways to score to finish with three goals.

The Kangaroos will also be buoyed by the efforts of Tristan Xerri (18 disposals, eight clearances) following the departure of club stalwart Todd Goldstein. The first-choice ruck had the better of GIANTS big man Kieren Briggs (nine, four) and drifted forward to boot a late goal.

Kelly reminds Kangaroos what they missed

It was fitting that Josh Kelly played his 200th match against the club that his father Phil played 61 games for in the 1980s, and the side the GIANTS midfielder grew up supporting. The Kangaroos turned to those links while making a play to poach Kelly at least twice in recent years, before the former No.2 pick extended his stay with the GIANTS. The GIANTS co-vice-captain reminded the Roos what they missed out on with 24 disposals and two goals in a typically polished performance off a wing.

GIANTS                                       4.3     10.7     15.11    17.19 (121)
NORTH MELBOURNE                   2.0     8.0     10.4        13.4 (82)

GOALS

GIANTS: Hogan 6, Riccardi 3, Brown 2, Cadman 2, Kelly 2, Bedford, Green
North Melbourne: Larkey 3, Curtis 2, Duursma 2, Stephenson 2, Ford, Shiels, Xerri, Zurhaar

BEST 

GIANTS: Green, Hogan, Whitfield, Coniglio, Kelly, Callaghan, Riccardi
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke, Sheezel, Powell, Fisher, Larkey, McKercher

INJURIES

GIANTS: Nil 
North Melbourne: Goater (leg)

SUBSTITUTES

GIANTS: Nick Haynes (replaced Xavier O'Halloran in the third quarter)
North Melbourne: Liam Shiels (replaced Callum Coleman-Jones in the third quarter)

Crowd: 8,034 at Engie Stadium