Match Details:

West Coast Eagles v GIANTS
Sunday, March 24 at 6:50pm EDT/3:50pm WST 
Optus Stadium | Whadjuk Country

What it Means for the GIANTS 

The GIANTS will head west to take on the Eagles full of confidence after strong wins against both the Magpies and the Kangaroos in their opening two games.

After putting the footy world on notice with an impressive 32-point win over the reigning premiers Collingwood in the AFL’s inaugural Opening Round, the GIANTS backed it up by beating the buoyant Kangaroos with a comfortable 39-point win at ENGIE Stadium (formerly GIANTS Stadium) last Saturday.

The Orange Tsunami will now storm into Optus Stadium on Sunday looking to create history, with the club searching for three consecutive wins to open a season for the first time.

In the recent win over North Melbourne, the GIANTS jumped out to an early lead but needed the second half to shake off a pesky Kangaroos outfit, who at the half had kicked eight goals straight to trail by just 19 points, despite the GIANTS controlling most aspects of the match.

With Jesse Hogan continuing his hot start to the season to finish with a bag of six goals, taking his season tally to 10 after just two rounds, the GIANTS pulled away in the second half to register a 17.19 (121) to 13.4 (82) win.

Jake Riccardi (three goals - all in the first term) was also a strong target up forward, while Tom Green (37 disposals, eight tackles, six clearances, one goal), Stephen Coniglio (30 disposals) and Lachie Whitfield (29 disposals) were instrumental across the ground.

The Opposition

The Eagles will enter the round two match-up looking for their first win of the season following a 50-point loss to the Power in their round one clash at Adelaide Oval last week.

Inspired by a strong first term by highly touted number one pick Harley Reid in his debut, the Eagles trailed by just five points at the end of the quarter before the Power flicked a switch to lead by 31 points at the half as they went on to run out 16.24 (120) to 10.10 (70) victors.

Reid made a bright start to his AFL career despite the loss, with the 18-year-old finishing with 16 disposals, five clearances and four inside-50s in an impressive first up performance.

The Eagles were best served by Elliot Yeo (20 disposals), Jayden Hunt (20 disposals), ruck Bailey Williams (15 disposals, 13 hit outs, a goal, seven clearances), and Jack Petruccelle (three goals) in the loss.

Recent History

The Orange Tsunami will be looking to wash away any memory of the last time the sides met in last season’s corresponding round two fixture, with the Eagles claiming the four points at home in a match which saw them put an end to a club-record nine-match losing streak with a 19-point win over the GIANTS.

Buoyed by an eight goal to two second term, the Eagles thrilled their home crowd to turn a seven-point quarter-time deficit into a 31-point lead at the main break. The Eagles continued to soar in the second half, kicking six more goals to the GIANTS’ four to run out 14.16 (100) to 11.15 (81) winners to break their drought.

GIANTS skipper Toby Greene (18 disposals, four goals) and spearhead Jesse Hogan (15 disposals, eight marks, three goals) starred up forward despite the loss, while Stephen Coniglio (28 disposals, nine tackles, nine clearances) and Tom Green (27 disposals, five clearances) were strong in the middle.

Senior Eagles Tim Kelly (32 disposals and five clearances), Luke Shuey (20 and nine clearances) and Dom Sheed (26 and seven clearances) were best for the victors, while Jake Waterman (four goals) and Jamie Cripps (three) were strong in attack.

Key Match-Up:  Battle of the Big Boys

Sure to be one of the most intriguing battles in Sunday’s clash is the match-up between ruckmen Kieren Briggsand Bailey Williams.

One of the competition’s most improved players last season, Briggs cemented himself as the GIANTS’ number one ruck following a blistering finish to 2023 where he ended the year leading all ruckmen across the AFL for clearances per game while ranking third in tackles and sixth for possessions among his adversaries.

Briggs will now find himself up against another of the competition’s rapid improvers, with Williams also coming off a career-best season with the Eagles, finishing sixth in the club’s best and fairest after being one of their most consistent performers in 2023.

Amongst the Eagles’ best in the round one loss to the Power with 13 disposals, 15 hit-outs, seven clearances and a goal, the battle between 23-year-old Williams and 24-year-old Briggs will be an enthralling match-up between two of the AFL’s best young ruckmen on Sunday.

GIANTS Player to Watch 

Ten goals across the first two games has the whole footy world singing the praises of GIANTS star Jesse Hogan.

Entering his fourth season at the club, the 29-year-old has started 2024 in red-hot form with bags of four and six goals to continue on from last year’s career-best campaign where he finished with 49 majors from 23 games - both career highs.

Following on from his four-goal haul against the Magpies in Opening Round, hulking Hogan dominated the inexperienced Kangaroos backline on Saturday with six majors in a best-on-ground display in the 39-point win.

Finishing with 18 disposals and eight marks to go along with 6.2, Hogan will now turn his attention to the Eagles on Sunday as he returns home to Perth looking to continue what statistically has been the best start to a season throughout his 11-year career. 

In the Mix

With a clean bill of health coming from the clash with the ‘Roos last week there’ll be no forced changes as we take on the Eagles.

In further good news, young GIANT duo Darcy Jones (ACL) and Cooper Hamilton (foot) made strong returns to the field after long layoffs through a VFL practice match on Saturday as they look to push their cases for a senior call-up. 

Team Selection

The GIANTS will name a 26-man squad at 6:20pm on Thursday before naming the final team at 5pm on Friday at gwsgiants.com.au.

Rehab Report

Get a full injury update ahead of Sunday’s clash with the Eagles here.

Where to Watch

Sunday’s match will be shown live on Fox Footy and Kayo nationally from 6:30pm EDT as well as live and free on 7mate from 6:30pm EDT in NSW and the ACT.

The Orange Army is also invited to join GIANTS ambassador Alex Williams and his sidekick Brandon McClelland on Sunday at Silverwater Hotel in Western Sydney to cheer on the GIANTS in their away clash with the Eagles at Optus Stadium.

Hosts of the brand-new podcast, ‘They Might Become GIANTS’, Williams and McClelland are on a mission to find the best pubs and eateries in Western Sydney to watch away AFL games at - and they want your help.

For GIANTS fans, or just general footy fans, eager to join Williams and McClelland on their new venture, head along to Silverwater Hotel in Western Sydney on Sunday, March 24 to talk all things footy.

GIANTS Watch Party Details:

When: Sunday, March 24 from 6:30pm, with the Eagles v GIANTS starting at 6:50pm
Where: Silverwater Hotel – 214 Silverwater Rd, Silverwater
Who: GIANTS fans
Why: Cheer on the GIANTS as we take on the Eagles 

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 ended their winless record against West Coast at Optus Stadium and continued the best start to a season in their history, strangling the Eagles for long periods to win by 65 points in a professional performance.

The undefeated GIANTS wanted to be ruthless in the west, and they were through the second and third quarters as they held West Coast goalless and went on an eight-goal run that broke the game open, eventually winning 16.12 (108) to 5.13 (43).

It was the club's first win against the Eagles at Optus Stadium from five matches and just their second ever against the Eagles in Perth, with the GIANTS' midfield avenging a shock loss in the same match-up 12 months ago.

A competitive final term from the Eagles that saw them kick three goals to five against the 3-0 GIANTS ensured the margin didn't blow out as had threatened through an error-riddled third quarter.

Tom Green (34 disposals and eight clearances), Stephen Coniglio (31 and six) and Josh Kelly (28 and seven inside 50s) were powerful in the middle and, with the help of dominant ruckman Kieran Briggs (34 hit-outs and 12 clearances), gave their team a 67-44 advantage in forward entries.

With star backman Sam Taylor racking up a massive 14 intercepts in defence, the GIANTS were also able to run in waves and punish the Eagles' turnovers, with No.1 Draft pick Aaron Cadman capitalising with a game-high three goals.

There was plenty of heat in the contest early as West Coast applied significant pressure to the GIANTS, held its own in the stoppage battle, and found a way to generate offence from its back half.

Harley Reid had the home crowd on its feet with his fearless, dashing style and ability to take on tacklers, while Tim Kelly showed his class with a running goal from 45m as the Eagles looked for opportunities to play fast and take the game on.

The GIANTS punish a turnover as well as anyone though, and once fundamental errors started creeping into the Eagles' game they pounced, kicking back-to-back red-time goals to put a 19-point gap in the game at the first break.

The second quarter descended into a slog. While the Eagles were able to get the ball in their forward half early, skill errors repeatedly let them down and the opportunities dried up as a result before the Giants landed three blows in six minutes late in the quarter.

By half-time they were 39 points clear and there were serious concerns for West Coast regarding the ruck dominance of GIANTS big man Briggs (23 hit-outs and six clearances to that point) against second-gamer Harry Barnett and ruck-forward Bailey Williams.

It was much of the same through the third as the GIANTS turned the screw and opened up a 10-goal lead, with West Coast at least showing some fight in the final term, particularly around the contest. 

Half-back Jayden Hunt was impressive with his skill and ability to take the game on, while onballer Elliot Yeo battled manfully onball for 27 disposals and nine clearances.

Cleaning up fundamental errors will be a focus for the team, however, after much of the hard work in the midfield was undone forward of centre.

WEST COAST                            2.3   2.5     2.7     5.13 (43)
GIANTS                                    5.4   8.8   11.11   16.12 (108)

GOALS

West Coast: Cripps, Hunt, Kelly, Waterman, Yeo
GIANTS: Cadman 2, Daniels 2, Hogan 2, Kelly 2, Bedford, Callaghan, Greene, Peatling, Riccardi, Thomas

BEST

West Coast: Hunt, Yeo, Kelly, Reid, Ginbey, McGovern
GIANTS: Green, Briggs, Taylor, Whitfield, Kelly, Coniglio

INJURIES

West Coast: Nil  
GIANTS:  Nil

SUBSTITUTES

West Coast: Ryan Maric (replaced Harry Barnett in the third quarter)
GIANTS: James Peatling (replaced Lachie Ash in the third quarter)

Crowd: 42,401 at Optus Stadium