The Greater Western Sydney GIANTS headed to the Barossa Valley on Saturday to take on Port Adelaide Power in their final NAB Challenge match of 2011. In the heat of the South Australian sun, the young GIANTS squad again showed that they were a determined and courageous side. The squad worked hard throughout the match, fighting until Stephen Clifton’s goal on the final siren and eventually lost by 95 points.

In the first quarter the GIANTS got off to a promising start but failed to convert this on the scoreboard. Andrew Philipps and AFL debutante Israel Folau both took impressive contested marks in the first quarter before Jeremy Cameron took hold of the ball and booted it from 20 meters out, giving the GIANTS their first goal of the day.

Curtly Hampton worked hard in the back line at the beginning of the second quarter, taking an impressive mark and was awarded a 50 meter penalty that helped push the ball deep into the GIANTS forward line. The GIANTS managed to score another goal, with Simon Tunbridge taking a mark and slotting a set shot to leave the GIANTS trailing by 21 points.

South Australian GIANT, Jonathan Giles opened the goal scoring in the third term after taking a strong contested mark up forward. Gerald Ugle then followed up with a another GIANT goal after an impressive passage of play where Brett Dore handballed to Ugle, who was able to kick a running goal which left the GIANTS trailing by 66 points going in to the final term.

The GIANTS continued to fight it out in the fourth quarter. Jack Hombsch and Curtly Hampton both worked hard in defence, each taking contested marks that would almost certainly have ended in goals to the opposing side. Gerald Ugle kicked his second goal for the day, running into the forward 50 and booting the ball through the posts. As the final siren blew, Steven Clifton marked the ball 48 meters from goal. Clifton lined up and slotted the goal, giving the GIANTS supporters a reason to cheer as the game drew to a close.

GIANTS coach Kevin Sheedy said that his young side had learnt a massive amount in their NAB Cup and NAB Challenge matches and that the club had emerged winners as a result.

“Through the NAB Cup we probably got half a season’s worth of improvement and experience.

“The past four games have been perfect for us from an education perspective. We made the decision to play before we even had the players.

“Even though the scoreboard hasn’t looked like that, we’ve been the real winners from an education and a playing point of view,” he said.

Sheedy was also positive about Israel Folau’s AFL debut, saying that the GIANTS recruit did well in his first match and showed some promise for the future.

“Izzy did well today. He definitely wasn’t afraid and he’s very courageous. He’s got great closing speed and wether he’s playing on the forward line or in defence, he’ll get there eventually.

“A game of footy is very different to training and that was his first one ever.

“He probably had the best handball of the first match but hardly anyone saw it. It was about two minutes into the last quarter and he just snuck a little one in behind to his team mate that was really, really good.

“I think at the moment that I’d still like to have him in defence and then possibly move him up into the forward line a little bit later on. We want to work on his fitness because we need him to play about 85 per cent of the game.

“His next big hit out won’t be for a while now, we’ll run him in some practise matches at the club then he’ll play against the Sydney Swan’s reserve side in April,” he said.

Folau told the media after the match that he was looking forward to taking what he learnt today into future AFL games to help improve his skills and knowledge of the game.

“I pulled up pretty well, it was really good to get my first run out there. I felt a little bit lost at the start of the game but I slowly began to read the game and I was feeling pretty settled by the end.

“The coaches told me to use my body a lot. I certainly learnt a lot from today’s game, I’ve been training for the past few months and to get a few handballs out was really good for me, I was really happy with that.

“Just being out there was good as opposed to sitting and watching it in the stands. I learnt a lot more from just being on the ground. Hearing the players and opposition talking and watching what they’re doing, I learnt a lot from that too.

“Reading the play before it happens was probably the most difficult part, that’s one of the biggest things for me to look at as I’m learning the game.

“I took a mark in the forward line and didn’t go back far enough to kick it over the mark and the other player got his hands on it, so that was something really good that I learnt. You’ve got to think quickly in this game and make quick decisions.

“I’ll keep playing more games and I’ll look at what I can learn and get better as I go. I’m still trying to learn the game so I’m not sure which position really suits me yet. I’ll just try to get as much game time as I can and see what the big man (Sheeds) says.

“I’m certainly loving AFL now that I got a bit of a taste for the game and I’m looking forward to the rest of the year,” Folau said.

Greater Western Sydney
6.8.44

Port Adelaide
21.13.139

GIANTS goal scorers
Gerald Ugle 2
Jeremy Cameron
Simon Tunbridge
Jonathan Giles
Stephen Clifton

Bests
Giles, Hampton, Cameron, Sheil

Injuries
Nil