A brilliant one-two punch from forward duo Max Gruzewski and Nathan Wardius saw the club’s VFL side shake off a slow start to consolidate its place in the top four with a huge 103-point win over the Northern Bullants in Blacktown on Saturday afternoon.
Having started the season with a club record six straight VFL wins before a trio of losses through rounds 8-10, the GIANTS rebounded in dominant fashion at Blacktown International SportsPark to run out 23.12 (150) to 7.5 (47) winners.
While the GIANTS had winners all over the ground it was dynamic young forward pair Wardius (15 disposals, five goals) and Gruzewski (18 disposals, 12 marks, 4.4) who shined the brightest in Blacktown as they tormented the Bullants’ backline all day to continue their brilliant VFL campaigns.
After trailing by two points at quarter-time, it was a seven goal to one second quarter that was the catalyst for the GIANTS’ big win, with Wardius and Gruzewski combining for six first-half goals to help give the GIANTS a commanding 36-point lead at the main break.
The orange tsunami continued to surge after half time, with Gruzewski particularly dominant in the air during the third term as he registered his 10th mark for the day in a commanding aerial display.
Firmly in control at the last change, the GIANTS put their foot on the Bullants’ throat in the final term as they piled on 8.4 while keeping the visitors scoreless to run out 17-goal winners.
Capping off the GIANTS’ big day was an impressive major midway through the final term to 16-year-old GIANTS Academy young gun Ethan Matthews who triggered the biggest cheer of the day with a brilliant long-range finish for his first VFL goal in just his second game at the level.
While it was the Gruzewski and Wardius show for much of Saturday’s encounter there was a host of other strong showings for the orange and charcoal, with Harry Rowston (21 disposals, eight tackles, four clearances, two goals) the next best as he continued his rich vein of form through the middle.
Impressive utility James Leake (22 disposals, six clearances) also continued to press his claims for an AFL recall with another strong showing, while the returning Marc Sheather (22 disposals, 11 tackles, 10 clearances) was highly impactful in a trademark performance from the tough midfielder.
AFL-listed half-back trio Conor Stone (17 touches, six marks, a goal), Harry Oliver (17 touches), and Josh Fahey (17 touches) were also influential, as was veteran Lachlan Keeffe (15 disposals, seven marks, 16 hit-outs, a goal).
Young ruck Logan Smith was another who made his presence known as he made the most of his opportunity as the first-choice ruckman in the absence of Nick Madden (AFL debut), finishing with nine disposals, a match-high 45 hit-outs, and three marks.
Exciting draftee Josaia Delana (16 touches, six marks, three tackles, two goals) was a dangerous threat ahead of the footy alongside Wardius and Gruzewski, while Wade Derksen (16 touches, six marks) played his role well as the leader of the backline.
Meanwhile Ryan Angwin (11 disposals, seven tackles) was one the GIANTS’ best in the first half before being withdrawn at the main break as an emergency for the club’s AFL clash with Port Adelaide in Canberra on Saturday night.
VFL-listed GIANTS Louie Montgomery (15 disposals), Perry Lewis-Smith (14 disposals), Billy McGeeGalimberti (12 disposals), and Will Shaw (13 disposals) also contributed strongly in the well-balanced team win.
Small forward James Lugsdin also had some strong moments as he finished with a pair of majors to go along with nine disposals and five tackles.
A further bright spot in Saturday’s win was young local forward Hugo Birks who was rewarded for dominant performances in the AFL Sydney competition with his first VFL game for the club. The key forward ended up kicking three goals in a row during the final term to finish with four majors in an impressive debut.
After Saturday’s massive win the GIANTS now sit at 7-3 for the VFL season ahead of a trip north to take on the Lions at Brighton Homes Arena in Brisbane next Sunday.
VFL Round 11
GIANTS 3.2 10.5 15.9 23.12 (150)
Northern Bullants 3.4 4.5. 7.5 7.5 (47)
Goalkickers
GIANTS: Wardius 5, Gruzewski 4, Birks 4, Delana 2, Lugsdin 2, Rowston 2, Harms, Matthews, Keeffe, Stone
Northern Bullants: Jorgensen 2, Sulzberger, Schreiber, Velissaris, Goodman, Franks
