The GIANTS take on the Power in a must-win clash at Adelaide Oval.
AFL - Round 21
Power v GIANTS
Saturday, August 1 at 6:35pm AEST / 6:05pm ACST
Adelaide Oval | Kaurna
What It Means for the GIANTS
After a tough loss to the Swans the GIANTS now head to Adelaide needing to beat the Power to keep their season alive.
With games to follow against the Suns, Eagles, and Crows to round out the season, the GIANTS likely need to go four from four on the run home to give themselves a chance of securing a Wildcard Spot and making their ninth finals campaign in the last 11 seasons.
Currently sitting 12th, the GIANTS sit tied on eight wins with the Kangaroos (13th) and one game back from both the Saints (10th) and Blues (11th) in what in what is shaping as a four-horse race for the final spot inside the top 10.
The GIANTS lacked their usual spark against the Swans last week and it’s something they’ll need to find quickly if they’re to beat a Power side who despite not always getting the result have continued to prove to be a tough beat and one of the best defensive sides in the league.
While it won't get any easier without star midfielder Finn Callaghan, the GIANTS need to fix their clearance work if they’re to sing the song on Saturday. An area they’ve struggled with at times throughout the season, the GIANTS were again beaten up around the footy in the loss to the Swans which saw them lose the clearance battle, 46-25.
Another area the GIANTS must improve on is their efficiency going forward, with Adam Kingsley’s side converting just 25 per cent of their entries into scores in the loss to the Swans.
Despite still missing a host of key personnel and lacking consistency across the season, the GIANTS have shown that their best is some of the best footy in the league and they’ll need to display that again on Saturday and across the last month of the season if they’re to feature this September.
The Opposition
While finals are out of the equation for the Power, they can still spoil the party for a number of sides – starting with the GIANTS on Saturday night.
Despite sitting 15th at 6-13 on the season, the Power have shown throughout Josh Carr’s first season in charge that they’ve taken major strides in their game and that they’re a side capable of matching it with the league’s best for large periods of games.
While they’ll enter Saturday on the back of three straight losses, Port Adelaide has played some brilliant football in patches, particularly over the last two weeks against premiership fancies Fremantle and Brisbane.
A fortnight ago against the Dockers they showed what they’re capable of with a brilliant first half which saw them lead the flag favourites by two goals at half-time. While Fremantle hit back and went on to claim a gritty 28-point win, the Power lost no admirers after their super impressive opening half.
A similar tale unfolded last week against the Lions when again the Power surged in the first half before it was lights out after half time. In the Gabba clash, the Power were right in the frame for a shock win on the road as a strong start saw them trail the reigning back-to-back premiers by just nine points at the half. As they’d done the week earlier however, the Power ran out of juice in the second half which saw the Lions click into gear and cruise to a 59-point win at home.
While they’ve shown across the first half in their last two games that their best can certainly compete, for the Power, it’s now about producing that consistently across four quarters – starting with Saturday at home against the GIANTS.
Recent History
While the GIANTS have won three of the last four meetings between the sides, it was the Power who were victorious side in the most recent encounter, registering a 16-point win in Canberra last year.
It was a neck and neck contest for almost the entire clash, with seven points or less separating the teams at each break before a three-goal-to-one final term gave the Power a 9.12 (66) to 7.8 (50) win.
Zak Butter and Connor Rozee, both of whom won’t be playing on Saturday, got the top coaches votes in the win, while Sam Taylor was the GIANTS’ best.
Meanwhile Saturday’s contest will mark the eighth contest between the sides at Adelaide Oval, with the GIANTS currently holding a 4-3 win-loss advantage at the venue.
Key Match Up: Kingsley v Carr
Saturday’s clash will see 2004 Port Adelaide premiership teammates Adam Kingsley and Josh Carr go head-to-head as AFL head coaches for the very first time.
Kinglsey, in his fourth season in charge of the GIANTS, will face off with Carr who has helped the Power make vast improvements across his maiden campaign as an AFL head coach.
After sharing the ultimate achievement together as premiership teammates, Kinglsey and Carr will now do battle in what looms as long careers facing off as head coaches.
A fun fact between Saturday’s coaches dates back to their 2004 flag, with Carr kicking the first goal of the 2004 Grand Final and Kingsley kicking the final goal of the game as the Power claimed a 40-point win over the all-conquering Lions.
GIANTS Player to Watch: Connor Idun
A rock in defence for the GIANTS, Idun continues to be one of the league’s most underrated players and one of its best and most versatile defenders.
Captaining the side last week against the Swans in the absence of skipper Toby Greene, Idun led from the front with a superb performance to continue what has been another brilliant campaign down back.
Idun finished last week's game with 27 disposals, 12 marks (two contested), and a game-high eight intercepts.
Look for Idun to continue to lead from the front in the absence of Greene in Saturday’s must-win clash.
In The Mix:
The GIANTS will be forced to make at least one change following the season-ending ankle injury to Callaghan.
Meanwhile, up to three GIANTS could return to action in some form this weekend, with Jake Riccardi, Kieren Briggs, and Ollie Hannaford all listed as tests to return from their respective injuries.
Last week's VFL side also featured a host of players aiming to return to the senior side, led by the likes of Joey Delana, Toby McMullin, and Cody Angove.
Team Selection:
The GIANTS will name their team on Thursday at 6:20pm at gwsgiants.com.au.
Rehab Report:
Get a full injury update ahead Saturday’s match here.
