AFLW - Round 8 
 
GIANTS v Bombers  
Saturday, October 3 at 1:05pm 
Henson Park, Sydney | Gadigal & Wangal 

What It Means for the GIANTS    

The GIANTS will get another strong opportunity to register their second win of the season on Saturday in a season so far defined by their inconsistency across four quarters. 

While playing some strong footy throughout, the GIANTS again fell short of the four points last week against Collingwood after being overrun in the final term to fall nine points short at Victoria Park. 

It was a tough pill to swallow for the GIANTS who led at each break and held a slim seven-point lead at the final change before a poor final term saw them go down 4.10 (34) to 3.7 (25). 

Sitting at 1-6, the GIANTS’ record has been impacted by narrow defeats, having lost three of their last five games by an average margin of just 6.6 points. 

Saturday will provide the GIANTS a chance to take the learnings from their recent defeats and put them into practice against a Bombers side searching for its first win of the season. 

While impressive recruit Poppy Boltz will unfortunately miss the rest of the season with a syndesmosis injury suffered against the Pies, the GIANTS could receive a massive boost for Saturday’s game, with young star Zarlie Goldsworthy a chance to return for her first game of the season. 

The two-time Gabrielle Trainor Medallist and AFLW Rising Star winner suffered a lower leg fracture in a practice match on the eve of the season but after a lengthy rehab is pressing her case to return in what would be a huge inclusion for Cam Bernasconi’s side.  

The Opposition        

One of only two winless sides remaining alongside St Kilda, Essendon will enter Henson Park hoping to claim its first scalp of the season after a tough 10-point loss to the Eagles last week. 

The Bombers were on song early and looked like they could break their 2026 hoodoo but a dip in their performance across the middle two quarters was too much for them to overcome as they fell 6.9 (45) to 4.11 (35) at Windy Hill. 

Similar to the GIANTS, one of the keys to a Bombers victory on Saturday will be addressing their inconsistency and producing their best football for longer, with Essendon starting hot and finishing strong last week but unable to maintain that effort throughout the clash with the Eagles. 

The Bombers won both the first and last quarters last week but were outscored five goals to one across the middle two quarters to suffer a seventh straight defeat. 

While the GIANTS could be buoyed by the inclusion of Goldsworthy, the Bombers could receive some of their own reinforcements, with Sophie Alexander (back) and Daria Bannister (knee soreness) both pushing to return from their respective injuries this weekend. 

Recent History       

Remarkably, the GIANTS and the Bombers have only ever met once in the AFLW prior to Saturday’s contest, following Essendon’s introduction to the competition in 2022. 

The one prior clash came last season in round one, with the Bombers starting their 2025 campaign with a statement 56-point win in Canberra. 

With both sides in need of a win, the second-ever contest between the sides shapes as a crucial one in the context of both sides’ season. 

Key Match Up:  Prespakis v Parker  

Saturday could see two of the league’s best midfielders go head-to-head, in GIANTS star Alyce Parker and Bombers gun Maddy Prespakis. 

Both critical to their sides’ chances, both Parker and Prespakis are in red-hot form and have put themselves firmly in All-Australian discussions following brilliant seasons to date. 

While the duo are ball magnets, both itting near the top of the league for disposals, they do it in different ways, with Parker a beast on the inside, sitting third in the entire competition for contested possessions (15.9 per game) and fifth for clearances (6.9 per game), while Prespakis does most of her damage on the outside, sitting fifth in uncontested possessions (16.6 per game) and first for effective kicks (11.9 per game). 

Both will enter Henson Park following strong games last week, with Parker registering 24 disposals, 17 contested possessions, eight tackles, and four clearances, while Prespakis picked up 27 disposals and 466 metres gained last week against the Eagles.  

With Prespakis the firestarter for the Bombers’ engine room, and Parker – alongside skipper Rebecca Beeeson – the same for the GIANTS, whichever star onballer can have a bigger influence on Saturday will go a long way to their side singing the song.  

GIANTS Player to Watch: Jess Doyle  

Reliable GIANTS utility Jess Doyle will play her 50th AFLW game on Saturday against the Bombers. 

Taken with pick 49 in the 2021 AFLW Draft, Doyle has cemented herself as a regular in Cam Bernasconi's side ever since. Currently in her sixth season, Doyle continues to show her versatility through her ability to impact whether playing up forward, down back, or even as a back-up ruck. 

A former Swans Academy product, Doyle’s ability to play multiple positions has been a valuable tool for Bernasconi so far in season 2026. 

With the GIANTS looking for their second win of the season, expect the side to lift for Doyle as they aim to make her 50th AFLW game one to remember.  

Team Selection:        

The GIANTS will name this week’s team at 6:20pm on Thursday via their socials and at gwsgiants.com.au.       

Rehab Report:         

Get a full injury update ahead of Saturday’s match here.