A Wildcard win stands between the GIANTS and a first-ever VFL finals appearance, and skipper Ryan Hebron wouldn’t have it any other way.
The 9th-placed GIANTS play Richmond (8th) at Port Melbourne’s ETU Stadium on Saturday afternoon and it’s winner takes all.
Win and progress to an elimination final on the road next weekend against either the Brisbane Lions or Casey.
Lose, and it’s season over.
“If you win that Wildcard you’ve got a bit of momentum and a win that the other teams that got a week off don’t have, you’ve managed the pressure of an elimination final game and that can go a long way when you stack games like that on top of each other,” Hebron said.
“The stakes go up because if you don’t play the system and execute the plan there’s no meeting next week to fix it, it’s the off-season.
“If you don’t execute, you’re out.”
Hebron, who achieved his 150th state game earlier this season, would be bursting with pride should his team contest post-season action for the first time since it joined the VFL in 2021.
The Swans Academy product, who represented Sydney Uni and also played for Werribee in the VFL, has been here since day dot.
“I would be proud of the club, and it’s been nice to see us grow as a group and program and that despite a lot of injuries we make finals,” he explains.
“It might not seem like much to some of the other clubs but I do think it’s a nice achievement for a club that’s in Western Sydney, playing AFL, competing in the VFL, playing games out at Blacktown, with a hub in Albury and being a very humble club and program.
“It’s nice to get here and to have the opportunity to give it a good crack in a good competition. There’s a lot of pride and it’s been nice to see the growth after being here for four seasons.”
The likes of Stephen Coniglio, Jake Riccardi, Callum Brown, Leek Aleer and Harry Rowston have featured in the VFL this season but it’s veteran Lachlan Keeffe who’s made the biggest impact with his leadership, experience and character.
“I think Keeffey’s a good representative of the club’s values. He’s obviously very driven to play at AFL level and be the best he can be but he’s just so humble when he comes back to the VFL and that reflects the whole club,” Hebron explains.
“His ability to come in, be respectful of the VFL boys and where they’re at is something I really admire and I think that’s probably because when players like him get drafted and do a good stint in the reserves, like he did at Collingwood, it does shape your character a fair bit.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure working with him, he’s a good dude and it’s important for leaders who have played a lot of AFL footy to set that example let alone all the stuff he does on the field.
“He’s been a general whether he’s played forward or back and been that supportive presence a young group need out there.”
The GIANTS went on an 6-0 run to start the VFL season but injuries at AFL level filtered down and the side has ridden the unique wave of being an AFL-VFL program and the idiosyncrasies that come with it.
“If AFL have an injury you lose your best player out of the VFL, we know that, that’s a certainty and you prep for that by trying to upskill a group of VFL-listed players that know the system and it’s next man in mentality,” Hebron says.
“That’s the test – can we have 18 players harmoniously playing our game plan and if that happens it doesn’t matter who’s on the park and if there’s a lot of guys wearing numbers in the 50’s and 60’s.”
Captain’s Call
VFL GIANT To Watch: “Harper Montgomery will be very important. He’s been playing down back and really playing an adaptable and important role for us, really reliable and helping the boys around him especially some inexperienced players follow system. He’s been a good leader down back.”
AFL GIANT To Watch: “Nick Madden will be really pivotal in getting us started. He’s developed so much this year, he’s taken his game to another level and will probably play against Sampson Ryan. He competes, gets involved in second and third efforts, is a massive presence in the air and with his tackling as well which are amazing features for a ruckman to have.”
Second Wildcard Final
Tigers v GIANTS
Saturday, August 23 at 12:10pm
ETU Stadium | Wurundjeri Country
Watch live on 7mate and 7plus.
