The Gold Coast plays host to the biggest Expansion Cup ever, with the result of Saturday’s clash to play a crucial role in whether the GIANTS or the Suns feature in September.

AFL ROUND 23
 
Suns v GIANTS
Saturday, August 16 at 12:35pm 
People First Stadium | Yugambeh Country

What It Means For The GIANTS   

One of several finals-shaping games this weekend, Saturday's Expansion Cup is another crucial clash for the GIANTS as they look to take a major step forward in securing a spot in September.

Currently sitting in eighth spot as one of nine teams fighting it out to play finals, the GIANTS could sit as high as fifth with a win over the Suns, or could drop outside of the top eight with just one round remaining if they’re to lose on the Gold Coast on Saturday 

Sure to add some confidence to the GIANTS as they travel to the Gold Coast this weekend is their remarkable record against their fellow expansion side, with the GIANTS having incredibly won not just the last five games between the sides but 14 of the last 15 meetings with the Suns dating back 10 years to 2015.

As has been a pattern under coach Adam Kingsley in the last three seasons, the GIANTS have found some of their best form in the latter half of the season and will enter Saturday’s cutthroat clash having won seven of their last eight games. 

Bouncing back from a loss to the Dogs with a clinical 54-point win over North Melbourne in Canberra last week, the GIANTS will be hoping the lessons learnt from the loss to the Dogs has them back on track and capable of another strong performance against the Suns on Saturday.  

With an epic seven-point win over the Suns at ENGIE Stadium already to their name this year, the GIANTS will be hoping they can keep their incredible Expansion Cup record alive on Saturday and take one step towards ensuring they feature in September in 2025.  

The Opposition  

The Suns are on the verge of club history and standing in their way of their first-ever finals campaign is the GIANTS this week followed by games with Port Adelade and the Bombers [rescheduled game] in the final round of the season.

Currently sitting 6^th but with a game in hand [due to the cancelled Opening Round game with Essendon], the Suns are well placed to feature in their first ever finals series but likely need to win two of their last three games to do so.

The Suns have found form at the right time of the season as they surge towards a historic finals campaign, having won six of their past seven games to not only give themselves a shot at club history, but also a shot at finishing inside the top four.

Having already taken a major step forward in 2025 under triple-premiership coach Damien Hardwick, the Suns will now look to take down one of their bogey teams on Saturday.

As they look to put one foot in finals with a win over the GIANTS, the Suns will enter Saturday’s clash following a gritty 19-point win over Carlton at Marvel Stadium last week. 

Withholding a fast-finishing Blues outfit that kicked six of the last seven goals, the Suns avoided a late scare to hold on for a crucial 13.15 (93) to 11.8 (74) victory. 

The Suns were led by several of their stars who will again be crucial this week if they’re to break their hoodoo against the GIANTS, with Ben King (six goals), Matt Rowell (30 disposals, 10 clearances), and Touk Miller (25 touches) dominant against the Blues.  

Recent History  

You don’t have to go far back for the last time the sides last met, with the Suns jumping out to an early four-goal quarter-time lead in round 15 and holding a 22-point lead at the final change before the GIANTS stormed home with an eight-goal final term to register a remarkable 16.10 (106) to 14.15 (99) win at ENGIE Stadium.

Currently in the midst of a five-game winning streak against the Suns, the GIANTS sole loss to the Gold Coast in the last 10 years was by just a single point, going down 10.5 (65) to 9.10 (64) in Ballarat in round 17, 2021.  

Key Match Up: Will The King Reign Supreme?

While Saturday’s clash will feature a mouthwatering midfield battle between All-Australian calibre duos Tom Green and Finn Callaghan and Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson, it will also see one of the league’s elite key forwards Ben King take on the league’s best full back Sam Taylor. 

Admittedly beaten by Dogs star Sam Darcy two weeks ago, Taylor bounced back to his brilliant best against the Roos last week to show the footy world he’s still the most dominant full back in the competition.

Taking on the opposition’s best key forward every week, Taylor will now look to add King to his list of scalps in 2025 in a matchup worth the price of admission alone. 

A beacon in attack for the Gold Coast, King will enter Saturday’s clash in red-hot form and in the middle of a career-best season, with the 202cm forward sitting second in the Coleman Medal with 57 goals following a starring six-goal haul in the win over Carlton last week.

With both Taylor and King in All-Australian contention and at the top of their game, the battle between the star duo is sure to have a major say on which side registers a vital four points on Saturday afternoon.  

GIANTS Player To Watch: Callum Brown  

Recently signing a new three-year deal, Callum Brown showed last week exactly what he’s capable of at his best with a brilliant five-goal game in the win over North Melbourne.

Following a breakout 2023 season, Brown has taken his game to even greater heights across the last two years and is currently enjoying the best season of his career as a key part of the GIANTS’ diverse forward line. 

One of the club’s most dynamic players, Brown’s repertoire was on full display against the Kangaroos last week as his blend of speed, power and skill saw him tie his career-high with five goals to help lead the GIANTS to a 54-point win.  

Already setting a new career-high for goals (24) in a season this year, Brown will be hoping for another stellar performance on Saturday as the GIANTS look for a crucial upset win over the Suns in their push for a spot in September.   

In The Mix 

There’ll be at least one change for the GIANTS this week with the unfortunate hamstring injury to dynamic in-form forward Jake Stringer. 

Stringer’s absence will open the door for at least once inclusion to Saturday’s side, with Jacob Wehr, Lachlan Keeffe, and James Leake amongst the candidates after featuring in last week’s extended squad. 

Team Selection

The GIANTS will name their team to take on the Suns 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 clash will be shown live and free in NSW and the ACT on Channel 7 and 7plus from 12:30pm, as well as nationally on Fox Sports 3 and Kayo from 12:30pm.

The GIANTS have all-but sewn up a finals spot, playing a September brand of football in August to hammer Gold Coast by 35 points at People First Stadium on Saturday.

The GIANTS were magnificent from the outset, winning 17.9 (111) to 11.10 (76) to move to 15 wins ahead of their final home and away match of the season against St Kilda at Engie Stadium next Sunday.

Only a horribly lopsided loss to the Saints, along with a handful of other results, could prevent Adam Kingsley’s team from playing in a third straight finals campaign.

Conversely, the loss leaves Gold Coast still needing to win its final two matches against Port Adelaide (away) and Essendon (home) to guarantee a maiden appearance in September.

Despite missing key personnel Jake Stringer, Jesse Hogan, Jack Buckley, Brent Daniels and Josh Kelly for the trip north, the GIANTS were locked in from the first bounce, winning for the 15th time from the past 16 games against the Suns.

They pressured like crazy, moved the ball swiftly from the defensive half to create a wave of scoring chances and were then deadly with their set shot goalkicking.

Harry Rowston was an unlikely avenue in the front half, kicking four goals, while Finn Callaghan and Tom Green (both 29 disposals and eight clearances) led a superb performance from the midfield group.

Not only did they win plenty of ball, but the GIANTS midfield did a wonderful job in stifling the influence of star Suns duo Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson.

While the Suns pair finished with 25 and 32 disposals respectively, their influence was well below the incredibly high standard they’ve set all year.

With their season on the line, the GIANTS were revved up from the outset, applying suffocating pressure from the opening minutes.

They hurried the Suns into a series of sloppy mistakes and then counter-attacked like they do at their best, sweeping the ball from defensive 50 to their attacking zone on a regular basis.

They kicked the game’s first three goals and held a 15-point advantage at quarter-time, scoring 10 times from 11 entries to punish a home team that laid just five tackles and applied pressure at a rate well below their usual standard in the first term.

With Rowell and Anderson struggling to shake the close attention of Green and Xavier O’Halloran at each stoppage, Gold Coast found a way back into the game in the second term by moving the ball swiftly through the corridor.

Rowell and Ben Ainsworth both kicked goals in transition to get the margin back to four points, but the GIANTS closed the half with three late goals to open a 22-point cushion at the half.

After kicking four of the first five goals of the third quarter, GWS had blown the game open and never looked back.

Toby’s Hanger

Without injured teammates Stringer and Hogan to help him in the forward line, Toby Greene was always going to be the centre of attention. Although not his biggest day in terms of output, the GIANTS skipper had a special moment in the third quarter when he sat on Bodhi Uwland’s shoulder to pull down a spectacular mark after Aaron Cadman had kicked the ball off the ground in his direction. To complete the job, Greene went back and slotted the set shot from 50m.

Taylor’s All-Australian Push

With the key defensive posts seemingly up for grabs in this year’s All-Australian team, Sam Taylor sent another reminder of just why he’s one of, if not the best in the competition at his position. Coming up against the red-hot Ben King, fresh from kicking six goals against Carlton a week earlier, Taylor totally outpointed his Suns opponent with eight of his 12 disposals intercepts. King kicked two goals, both in the second half, but struggled to impact.

GOLD COAST          3.2       6.4       8.6       11.10 (76)
GIANTS                   5.5       9.8       15.9     17.9 (111)
 
GOALS

Gold Coast: Read 2, Long 2, King 2, Ainsworth 2, Rowell, Farrar, Budarick
GIANTS: Rowston 4, Gruzewski 3, Greene 2, Cadman 2, Bedford 2, Riccardi, O’Halloran, Jones, Coniglio
 
BEST

Gold Coast: Witts, Andrew, Miller, Collins, Anderson
GIANTS: Callaghan, Green, Rowston, Taylor, Thomas, Whitfield
 
INJURIES

Gold Coast: Nil
GIANTS: Nil
 
SUBSTITUTES

Gold Coast: Alex Sexton (replaced Oscar Adams in the third quarter)
GIANTS: Jacob Wehr (replaced Harry Himmelberg in the fourth quarter)
 
Crowd: 16,007 at People First Stadium