The GIANTS will look to tame the Tigers in an exciting clash as the club celebrates the diversity of Western Sydney in their Cultural Heritage Series game.

AFL Round 12

GIANTS v Tigers  
Saturday, May 31 at 4:15pm
ENGIE Stadium | Wangal Country

What It Means For The GIANTS   

The GIANTS (6-5) will be aiming to making it back-to-back wins on Saturday as they look to stay entrenched inside the top eight with a win over the Tigers at ENGIE Stadium.

After a blistering 4-1 start to the season the GIANTS hit an early-season lull across rounds 6-8 but have shown some of their best football in recent weeks to register important and impressive wins over the Cats in Geelong in round nine and then the Blues at Marvel Stadium last week.

Buoyed by skipper Toby Greene’s 250^th game, the GIANTS continued to show that their best makes them a force to be reckoned with at any venue in the country, with the orange tsunami gaining momentum after half-time against the Blues to surge to a 28-point win on the road.

Sitting 8^th in the middle of a log-jammed ladder, the GIANTS will hope to consolidate their spot in the top eight as they aim to tame a Tigers team who continue to show they’re no easy-beats with numerous impressive displays across the season despite their youth and inexperience.

As they search for their third win in four weeks, the GIANTS could welcome back some troops on Saturday, with vice-captain Josh Kelly (hip) and young midfielder Toby McMullin (adductor) both chances to return if they can get through Thursday’s main training session.

The Opposition 

While the youthful Tigers (3-8) sit in 16^th, they continue to play with immense energy and effort and will enter ENGIE Stadium confident that they can take down the GIANTS. 

Filled with a host of young talent as the club transitions from its premiership years, the Tigers possess an enthusiastic young side led by a sprinkling of veterans who have shown they’re capable of pushing some of the league’s best sides to their limits. 

While they’ve only registered two wins in their last six games heading into Saturday’s clash, the Tigers showed in round six exactly what they’re capable of as they stunned the third-placed Suns with an 11-point upset over the Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium. 

While their ladder position suggests Saturday’s contest could be a foregone conclusion, there’s no writing off the young Tiger cubs who will have no fear on Saturday in their bid to take down the GIANTS.  

Recent History 

The visiting Tigers will enter ENGIE Stadium having won two of the last three meetings between the sides and with a 3-2 advantage in their last five matchups. 

The most recent clash between the sides saw the GIANTS claim a 24-point win at the MCG in round 18 last year, while the prior meeting saw the Tigers claim an upset six-point win at Saturday’s venue of ENGIE Stadium.

Key Match Up: A Meeting With Some Old Friends

Saturday’s clash will see a pair of familiar faces return to ENGIE Stadium, with former GIANTS Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper set to take on their former side. 

Both playing exactly 114 games for the GIANTS prior to joining the Tigers ahead of the 2023 season, Hopper and Taranto are two of Richmond’s most experienced and in-form players and their output will be key to whether the visitors can upset the GIANTS on Saturday.

The returning Tiger duo is likely to go head-to-head with former teammates Tom Green, Xavier O’Halloran and skipper Toby Greene who has spent more time on ball in recent weeks. 

GIANTS Player To Watch: Callum Brown  

Irishman Callum Brown continues to provide a dynamic mix to the GIANTS’ front half and will be looking to continue his rich vein of form against the Tigers on Saturday. 

Up against the Tigers in the club’s Cultural Heritage Series clash – a game which celebrates the diverse cultures of our game and our community – Brown is a great example of the multicultural nature of Australian rules football. 

A former up-and-coming Gaelic football star back in Ireland, Brown was identified by the GIANTS’ Irish scouting program in 2017 and since being signed by the club in October, 2018 has been a regular part of the club’s AFL side. 

A hard matchup for opposition defenders with his rare blend of speed, size, and ability to impact both in the air and at ground level, Brown has kicked five goals over the last two weeks and will be hoping to continue his stellar form on Saturday as the GIANTS aim for back-to-back wins. 

In The Mix  

While Josh Kelly (hip) and Toby McMullin (adductor) are both pushing to return to the field this week, there are several others making claims for senior selection through strong showings in the club’s VFL clash with Port Melbourne last week. 

Click here for a recap of last week’s VFL game.  

Team Selection

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

Rehab Report

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

Where To Watch

The special Cultural Heritage Series clash with the Tigers will be shown live and free in NSW and the ACT on Channel 7mate on 7plus from 4pm, as well as live nationally on Foxy Footy and Kayo from 4pm.

An emotion-charged GIANTS side has come from the clouds with the only five goals of the final term to snatch a three-point victory over a brave Richmond at ENGIE Stadium.

The GIANTS trailed by 28 points at the last change but inspired by a team talk from the injured Callan Ward, finished over the top of the wayward Tigers to clinch a 12.8 (80) to 10.17 (77) win on Saturday.

Ward had little impact on the contest after being forced out of the game in the opening term with what appears to be a career-threatening knee injury until giving a team-lifting speech before the GIANTS surged home.

Callum Brown booted two critical goals in the final term including the match-winner with a snap at the 25-minute mark to seal a rousing triumph with the GIANTS' inaugural co-captain sidelined. 

The Tigers were already on top when Ward slumped to the turf and grabbed at his right knee after it buckled while attempting a tackle, then booted the next four goals to build a strong lead that had the Giants on the ropes until the dying stages. 

Ward waved to the crowd as he was helped from the field before breaking down in tears once on the sidelines and soon being subbed out of the game.

The 35-year-old returned to the field with the GIANTS searching for inspiration to make one final push after the Tigers had held sway at the stoppages throughout the opening three terms. 

"'Kingers' [coach Adam Kingsley] put it on me late, just about playing our role, being reliable, a few different things weren't not doing that well at the moment," Ward told Fox Footy after speaking to his GIANTS teammates at the last change.

"I'm not sure but it feels like a bad one, like an ACL. Initially I was probably in shock but now I'm feeling alright, there's a lot worse going on than me hurting my knee. 

"It (happened) in the tackle, just the change of direction, like a typical ACL."

Lachie Ash was pivotal to the GIANTS turning the contest back in their favour with his run and carry damaging as he gathered game highs of 35 disposals and 793m gained.

The dashing defender's partner in crime Lachie Whitfield was also influential despite spending more time further up the field to find 28 disposals, while Tom Green (30 disposals, six clearances) was important in matching the Tigers at the coalface.

Aaron Cadman (two goals) also stepped up in the final term with several strong marks and a goal while Jake Riccardi helped keep his side in the game with a pair of earlier majors. 

The Tigers left the door open for the GIANTS when booting 1.6 to 2.2 in the second term but appeared to pay the price just as much for running out of legs.

Dion Prestia was critical to the Tigers breaking the game open in his first match of the season as their onball brigade controlled the stoppages with 16-6 clearances just in the opening term. 

The three-time premiership midfielder finished with 31 disposals, seven clearances and a goal, while former GIANTS Jacob Hopper (29, 13, one) and Tim Taranto (23, five, two) also set the tone.

The Tigers trio combined for 19 clearances to the last change while the GIANTS as a team could only gather 17 to the same point before the contest was flipped on its head in the final term.

Tigers spearhead Tom Lynch booted two majors as GIANTS defender Sam Taylor lowered his colours on a rare off day, while Steely Green also finished with a pair of goals as the young visitors impressed until overrun.

GIANTS                         2.1     4.3     7.6     12.8 (80)
RICHMOND           6.5     7.11     10.16     10.17 (77)  

GOALS

GIANTS: Brown 3, Riccardi 2, Cadman 2, Green, Angove, Greene, Briggs, McMullin
Richmond: Taranto 2, Green 2, Lynch 2, Prestia, Faull, Hopper, Sonsie

BEST 

GIANTS: Ash, Green, Brown, Whitfield, Jones, Kelly
Richmond: Hopper, Taranto, Prestia, Nankervis, Banks

INJURIES 

GIANTS: Ward (knee)
Richmond: Nil

SUBSTITUTES

GIANTS: Toby McMullin (replaced Callan Ward in the first quarter)
Richmond: Kamdyn McIntosh (replaced Luke Trainor in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: TBC at ENGIE Stadium