The GIANTS and the Suns will meet in arguably the biggest clash yet between the AFL’s two youngest sides.

AFL ROUND 15
 
GIANTS v Suns
Sunday, June 22 at 1:10pm 
ENGIE Stadium | Wangal Country 

What It Means For The GIANTS  

The GIANTS reminded the footy world what they’re capable of last week with a brilliant win over the Lions at the Gabba and now they’ll look to take down the Suns for the first of two meetings between the sides in the second half of the home and away season. 

The GIANTS will enter Sunday’s clash roaring with confidence and with a strong recent record against the Suns, having beaten Gold Coast in the last four meetings dating back to 2021.

Sitting in seventh place up against the sixth-placed Suns, the GIANTS will be hoping the brilliant football played against the Lions last week can be a consistent theme in their run towards September. 

Having already beaten the current top three sides (Magpies, Cats and Lions) this season, a clash with the young and talented Suns on Sunday will present another fantastic opportunity for the GIANTS as they look to assert themselves as one of the league’s best sides and a genuine premiership fancy.

The GIANTS could gain a pair of huge inclusions for Sunday’s game, with skipper Toby Greene (corked glute) and dynamic forward Jake Stringer (hamstring) both chances to return if they can pass fitness tests during Friday’s main training session.

Meanwhile, the GIANTS will have to shuffle the magnets around for their backline against the Suns after star defender Sam Taylor was ruled out for 4-6 weeks on Tuesday with a broken toe suffered in the win over the Lions last week.

The Opposition  

The Suns will enter ENGIE Stadium fresh off the bye but looking to bounce back to their best after their first consecutive losses of the season prior to the week off.

Aiming to play finals for the first time in the club’s history, the Suns have been one of the league’s most impressive sides so far this year and an on-the-road win over the GIANTS on Sunday would further enhance their standing in the top eight in their bid to claim a historic finals berth. 

Having registered impressive wins against the likes of the Crows, the Bulldogs, and the Hawks so far this season, the Suns will be looking to regain their best form on Sunday after their 11-point loss to the Dockers on the Gold Coast and their 24-point loss to the Cats in Geelong in their last two games prior to the bye.

Despite their first back-to-back losses of the season, the Suns have shown their best football can worry any side in the competition and they’ll be hoping to showcase that on Sunday.

With two games in hand on many sides in the competition after having already had their bye and still yet to play their rescheduled game against the Bombers from Opening Round, the 8-4 Suns are poised perfectly for a tilt at their first finals campaign and a win on Sunday would take them one step closer.

Recent History  

The GIANTS have won the last four meetings between the clubs by an average of 33 points, with the Suns’ last win over the orange and charcoal coming back in round 17, 2021. 

The two most recent battles came last season, with the GIANTS beating the Suns by 28 points in Gather Round in the Adelaide Hills before taking them down again by 39 points at ENGIE Stadium in round 19.

Lachie Whitfield (40 disposals), Tom Green (34 touches) and Jesse Hogan (four goals) led the way in the round 19 win, while Sam Flanders (40 disposals) and Noah Anderson (27 disposals) were the Suns’ best. 

Key Match Up: Midfield Duos

Sunday’s clash will feature a crucial battle between two star-studded midfields as some of the league’s most dynamic players go head-to-head.

Leading the way for the GIANTS’ engine room is Tom Green and Finn Callaghan. Fresh off dominant games against the Lions, Callaghan racked up 32 touches in a brilliant return from injury while Green collected 26 touches and 11 clearances to prove crucial in the win. 

The GIANTS’ midfield will have its work cut out again on Sunday as they face one of the best young midfields in the game, led by star duo Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell. 

Averaging 30 and 25 touches respectively, Rowell and Anderson have quickly established themselves as one of the best midfield duos in the competition and will look to further prove their credentials against the likes of Green and Callaghan.

With Sunday’s game a significant one in shaping the top eight, the midfield battle will be pivotal to who comes away with the chocolates at ENGIE Stadium.

GIANTS Player To Watch: Aaron Cadman 

While Jesse Hogan kicked a bag of six last week it was emerging star Aaron Cadman who stole the show with a career-best outing against the Lions last week.

Working brilliantly alongside Hogan, Cadman bagged a career-high five goals to go along with new career-highs in disposals (19), marks (13), and contested marks (five) in a dominant game in attack.

While the former number one pick has had other eye-catching games, last week’s performance was a new level for Cadman and one that has the GIANTS excited about the player he is quickly becoming. 

Up against a solid backline led by All-Australian contender Sam Collins, Cadman is certainly one to watch on Sunday as he looks to back up his brilliant display from last week.

In The Mix  

The GIANTS will be forced to make at least two changes to their team, with Sam Taylor (broken toe) and Brent Daniels (adductor) both out with injury.  

The side could be buoyed however by the returns of skipper Toby Greene (corked glute) and Jake Stringer (hamstring) who will push their cases to return from injury against the Suns.

Meanwhile there were some starring performances in the VFL last week as players push for AFL selection. Click here to get a recap of last week’s VFL clash. 

Team Selection 

The GIANTS will name their squad to take on the Suns at 6:20pm on Thursday via gwsgiants.com.au and the final team of 23 on Friday at 5pm.

Rehab Report 

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

Where To Watch

The GIANTS’ clash with the Suns will be shown live and free in NSW and the ACT on 7Mate and 7plus from 1pm, as well as nationally on Fox Sports 3 and Kayo from 1pm.  

The GIANTS have surged over the top of a fast-starting Gold Coast with a blistering final term to claim a seven-point victory at ENGIE Stadium.

The GIANTS trailed at the last change but four goals in the opening eight minutes helped them snatch the lead for the first time in the game before holding off a gritty Suns challenge for a 16.10 (106) to 14.15 (99) win on Sunday.

Super-sub Jake Stringer helped spark the turnaround with a pair of stunning goals while emerging key forward Aaron Cadman also booted two majors in the final term as the GIANTS reeled the Suns in.

GIANTS skipper Toby Greene (18 disposals, two goals) brushed off a slow start and some close-checking from the Suns' Will Powell to have a pivotal impact in the second half as the hosts won their first-ever meeting with both sides sitting in the top eight. 

The Suns made a blazing start with four goals in the opening four minutes as their onball brigade dominated the stoppages through Noah Anderson, Touk Miller and Matt Rowell. 

It took the GIANTS 10 minutes just to enter their forward 50 and another five minutes passed before they hit the scoreboard when Jake Riccardi made the Suns pay for missing a pair of simple shots.

The GIANTS key forward added another goal two minutes later as the opening term turned into an eye-catching shootout and the Suns piled on their second-highest score at a first break with 7.6.

It was a much tighter contest from there as Tom Green led the way for the GIANTS to first nullify the Suns at the stoppages and then turn it into a strength for the home side.

Green was immense as he finished with 30 disposals, 16 clearances, nine tackles and a critical final-term goal, while Finn Callaghan also stepped up in the GIANTS' engine room with 28 touches.

Harry Rowston was another useful addition to the GIANTS' midfield mix as he backed up his breakout game last week with 20 disposals against the Suns.

Stringer started as the substitute on his return from injury until replacing a concussed Lachie Whitfield in the second term, and gave the GIANTS a reminder of his undeniable talents with a dribble kick from deep in the forward pocket that bounced through for a goal to hand his side the lead.

The GIANTS had trailed by as much as 29 points in the second term but after claiming the lead for a second time in the final term through Stringer's goal were never headed again as they ran away to a rousing triumph on their home deck. 

Suns skipper Anderson (42 disposals, two goals), Miller (37, two) and Rowell (34, 12 clearances) did all that he could to propel their side out to a commanding lead, but the Suns were made to pay for failing to make the most of their early advantage as the GIANTS slammed on eight goals to three in the final term. 

Midfield Bulls Share The Spoils

GIANTS onballer Tom Green and Suns powerhouse Matt Rowell have followed similar career trajectories since both being taken in the top 10 of the 2019 national draft. Green has edged in front for 106-98 matches played and most notably for leading 6-0 for finals appearances, though the Suns are well placed to help Rowell break that duck this season. The Suns midfielder was a standout as his side dominated the clearances to open up an early lead, while Green was critical to helping the GIANTS work their way back into the game. The pair of on-ball bulls had a watchful eye on each other at the stoppages as they all but cancelled each other out with Green on top for 16-12 clearances and 9-8 tackles, and while Rowell had 34-30 disposals and 7-1 inside 50s. 

GIANTS                                      4.1    6.7    8.9      16.10 (106)
GOLD COAST                             7.6    8.8    11.13   14.15 (99)

GOALS

GIANTS: Cadman 3, Riccardi 2, Hogan 2, Brown 2, Greene 2, Stringer 2, Thomas, Bedford, Green
Gold Coast: Ainsworth 2, King 2, Miller 2, Humphrey 2, Anderson 2, Long, Rioli, Witts, Fiorini

BEST

GIANTS: Green, Callaghan, Riccardi, Greene, Rowston, Ash, Cadman
Gold Coast: Anderson, Miller, Rowell, Witts, Humphrey

INJURIES

GIANTS: Whitfield (concussion)
Gold Coast: Nil

SUBSTITUTES

GIANTS: Jake Stringer (replaced Lachie Whitfield in the second quarter)
Gold Coast: Nick Holman (replaced Ethan Read in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 10,504 at ENGIE Stadium