The GIANTS are off to Tasmania to take on the high-flying Hawks at UTAS Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Match Details   

Hawthorn v GIANTS
Saturday, June 8 at 1:45pm
UTAS Stadium | Palawa Country

What it Means for the GIANTS   

The GIANTS got their season back on track prior to last week’s bye with a stirring four-point win over the Cats in Geelong. 

Following the impressive win - their fourth straight triumph at GMHBA Stadium - the GIANTS now sit at 7-4 as they enter the second half of the season looking to replicate last year’s surge to another finals campaign.  

Jake Riccardi will enter the clash with the Hawks off the back of his best game of the year after kicking four goals against the Cats, while Toby Greene (24 disposals, two goals) and Leek Aleer (15 touches, 11 intercept possessions) stood tall when it mattered most with match-winning moments. 

While the GIANTS will be without vice-captain Stephen Coniglio (shoulder) and Harry Perryman (hamstring) after injuries sustained against Geelong, this week’s side will be bolstered by the return of Callum Brown from suspension and Callan Ward from illness.

Sitting seventh in a log-jammed ladder, the GIANTS will be hoping to clip the high-flying Hawks’ wings in Launceston ahead of a tough month of matches against the Power, Swans, Crows and Blues.  

The Opposition  

The Hawks will fly into Tassie as one of the league’s hottest sides following a dramatic resurgence across the last seven weeks. 

After starting out the season 0-5, the Hawks have soared since - winning five of their last seven games and four of their last five to place themselves firmly in the hunt for finals.

Hawthorn’s only loss in the last five weeks came via a dramatic one-point defeat in round 10 to the Power who kicked two goals in the final 23 seconds to snatch a remarkable victory. 

In their most recent outing, the Hawks celebrated three-time premiership forward Jack Gunston’s 250^thgame in style with an impressive 27-point win over the Crows at the MCG in round 12. 

Small forward Dylan Moore starred in the victory with five goals to go along with a team-high 27 touches, while Gunston (14 touches, three goals) and Jack Ginnivan (22 and 2.3) were also strong contributors up forward.

Having won their last three games at UTAS Stadium, the Hawks will return to their home away from home looking to make it four straight to continue their push towards the top eight.

Recent History 

The GIANTS will enter Saturday’s showdown with a strong record against the Hawks, having won the last three encounters and four of the last five.

You have to go back to round 15, 2021 to find the last time the Hawks were able to bring down the GIANTS after registering an 18-point win at the MCG.

In the last meeting between the sides, the GIANTS defeated Hawthorn by 13 points in round 17 last year at ENGIE Stadium (formerly GIANTS Stadium) as Coniglio (30 touches, three goals) and Jesse Hogan (four goals) starred.

Key Match-Up: No Moore Brilliance

Hawthorn vice-captain Dylan Moore is having an All-Australian calibre season and will need to be kept in check on Saturday if the GIANTS are to bring down the high-flying Hawks.

With versatile defender Connor Idun the likely match-up for Moore with Perryman out injured, his ability to restrict the 24-year-old will be crucial to leaving Tasmania with the four points.

Mirroring his side, Moore will enter Saturday’s clash in red-hot form following a best-on-ground five goal and 27-disposal performance against the Crows last week.

With Moore rated as elite in scoring (goals and score involvements) and disposals (both uncontested and contested), as well as ranked as the number two ‘general forward’ in the AFL so far this season with his 21 majors to his name, stopping the dynamic forward will go a long way to a GIANT victory.

GIANTS Player to Watch   

Leek Aleer announced himself to the football world a fortnight ago with a match-winning display against the Cats in Geelong. 

Having waited patiently for his chance to shine at AFL level behind a star-studded GIANTS backline, Aleer grabbed his opportunity with both hands with a huge performance in the upset win over the Cats.

Recalled to the side for just his third game of the season and seventh of his career in place of the injured Jack Buckley, Aleer capped off a brilliant game with two stunning intercept marks in the dying moments to all but seal the thrilling win. 

The 22-year-old finished the best outing of his young career with 15 disposals, 11 intercept possessions, five rebounds-50s and a game-high four contested marks.

The brilliant performance was just reward for Aleer, with the exciting defender waiting more than 600 days between AFL games earlier this season after being recalled to the senior side in round six for his first AFL appearance since round 23, 2022.

With his confidence up, the GIANTS will be hoping Aleer can continue his rise as one of the competition’s most exciting young defenders against the Hawks on Saturday.

In the Mix  

The GIANTS will make at last two changes for their side to take on the Hawks, with Conilgio and Perryman out injured, while Brown and Ward are set to return. 

While the GIANTS’ VFL side also had the bye last week, several youngsters will once again come into consideration for an AFL call-up, with midfielder Harry Rowston and untried key forward Max Gruzewski two of a large cohort having strong VFL campaigns.

Team Selection

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

Rehab Report 

Get a full injury update ahead of Saturday’s match here.  

Where to Watch  

Saturday’s match will be shown live and free on Channel 7 from 1:30pm in NSW and the ACT, as well as nationally on Fox Footy and Kayo.

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

In-form Hawthorn has claimed its biggest scalp of the season, knocking off the GIANTS by six points in a thriller in Launceston.

The Hawks, who have now won five of their past six games, broke a 79-79 deadlock courtesy of a Luke Bruest goal from a down field free kick with a minute to play.

Bruest was awarded the shot after skipper James Sicily was bumped late by GIANTS midfielder Tom Green after kicking the ball.

The 12.13 (85) to 12.7 (79) result on Saturday afternoon came after Hawthorn trailed by 19 points at half-time and puts them just one win outside the top eight.

The lead changed hands several times throughout a dramatic fourth quarter after Hawthorn held a narrow three-point lead at the final break.

Xavier O'Halloran, who kicked a career-best four goals for the GIANTS, booted two in the last quarter before Jake Riccardi's first got the GIANTS in front with less than five minutes left.

Hawthorn overcame the loss of ruckman Ned Reeves, who was substituted off with a back problem early in the third term, while GIANTS captain Toby Greene suffered a nasty head cut early from a stray elbow and briefly came from the field but played on.

Mabior Chol was one of his side's best and provided the highlight of a dogged opening quarter when he converted a high-flying pack mark into a goal.

The GIANTS held a 13-9 lead at the first break on the back of a late Jesse Hogan major off a turnover.

They opened up 38-19 advantage at the main break courtesy of a run of three goals, with two of those coming off the boot of 20-year-old Aaron Cadman.

The No.1 pick in the 2022 draft, Cadman capitalised on some strong defensive pressure from the GIANTS before nailing a set shot.

Hawthorn rallied with a six-goal-to-two third quarter, including two for the term to veteran Jack Gunston.

Both teams had dramas with support staff before the game after heavy winter fog prevented flights from landing in Launceston.

A Hawthorn runner, doctor and general manager of football operations Max Bailey, plus GIANTS assistant coach Shane Mumford, were diverted to Hobart and had to make a two-hour-plus drive to the game.

Toby's New Look

Toby Greene was forced from the ground with a nasty cut to the head after copping an accidental elbow from Sam Frost late in the opening term. But when the Giants skipper returned after the first break, he did so sporting an unusual look. In an effort to protect the head from further injury, Greene played out the game wearing injured teammate Darcy Jones' iconic charcoal and orange helmet. Greene had a quieter than usual outing against the Hawks, but the GIANTS veteran still contributed a goal from his 14 touches.

HAWTHORN                              1.3    2.7    8.9    12.13 (85) 
GIANTS                                         2.1    6.2    8.6    12.7 (79)

GOALS

Hawthorn: Gunston 3, Breust 2, Chol 2, Macdonald 2, Dear, Jiath, Weddle
GIANTS: O'Halloran 4, Cadman 2, Angwin, Daniels, Greene, Hogan, Peatling, Riccardi

BEST

Hawthorn: Day, Weddle, Nash, Worpel, Moore, Scrimshaw
GIANTS: Whitfield, Briggs, Callaghan, O'Halloran, Peatling

INJURIES

Hawthorn: Reeves (back)
GIANTS: Nil

SUBSTITUTES

Hawthorn: Luke Breust (replaced Ned Reeves in the third quarter)
GIANTS: Toby McMullin (replaced Callum Brown at three-quarter time)

Crowd: 11,568 at UTAS Stadium