There’s certainly no love lost between the GIANTS and the Swans as they vie for bragging rights in the Harbour City.
GIANTS star Sam Taylor made that evident on Monday when he lit the fuse for Saturday’s Battle of the Bridge after labelling the Swans “smug” and “chirpy” while admitting there’s “a lot of dislike” towards the red and white.
While the Swans don’t like the term ‘The Battle of the Bridge’ – the GIANTS love it. And on Saturday, the 27th chapter of the fierce rivalry will be written with sparks expected to fly in front of a packed SCG.
💬 "They're young and firing, they're a bit smug."
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) April 29, 2024
With the Swans sitting second and the GIANTS third on the AFL table with six wins and just one loss each, Saturday’s clash is shaping as a must-see stoush between two of the AFL’s elite sides this season.
Not since 2016 when the clubs faced off in a qualifying final - in the GIANTS’ first-ever finals appearance and first-ever finals win - have the two sides met at the peak of their powers with both regarded as genuine premiership contenders.
In fact, Saturday’s match will be the just the third time in 27 regular season meetings that both the GIANTS and the Swans have sat inside the top four ahead of a Sydney Derby.
As we wait for Saturday’s mouth-watering clash, we thought we’d take a look at some of the moments over the last 12 years that have fuelled one of the AFL’s spiciest rivalries.
EARLY BEATINGS
There’s no doubting the rivalry got off to a tough start for the GIANTS, who entered the competition in 2012, when the Swans went on to win the premiership as the AFL newcomers managed to win just two games in their debut season.
Filled with fresh-faced teenagers, the GIANTS were bullied and beaten by their old brother for their first two years as the Swans dominated the first four Derbies across the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
The GIANTS lost the first four match-ups by an average margin of 79 points - with a 129-point defeat in the club’s first-ever game at the SCG in round 16, 2013 - still the record losing margin between the sides.
Already filled with disdain for the Swans following the early beatings, the heated rivalry was about to get spicier following the biggest free agency decision of the 21st century.
LITTLE BROTHER FIGHTS BACK
Heavily speculated to be headed to the GIANTS to help grow the game in New South Wales, Hawks superstar Buddy Franklin shocked the footy world when he declined a lucrative offer from the GIANTS to sign a nine-year, $10m deal with the Swans at the end of the 2013 season.
Buddy was headed to the Harbour City but not to the GIANTS - a move that enhanced the tension between the two clubs.
While the GIANTS didn’t land the Buddy big fish they were after, they were able to spoil Franklin’s coming out party as they defeated their cross-town rival for the first time in club history in a spectacular opening to their 2014 campaign.
Bolstered by their own big inclusion in former Swan Shane Mumford, the GIANTS handed the Swans a beat-down of their own with a 32-point upset win in a bruising encounter at ENGIE Stadium [formerly GIANTS Stadium and known then as Spotless Stadium] in what was also Leon Cameron’s head coaching debut.
Ironically, it was Mumford, who was squeezed out of the Swans as a result of Franklin’s arrival, who took home the three Brownlow votes in the GIANTS’ first Derby win as he flourished against his former side.
While the Swans were able to return to their bashful ways to win the next four Derbies to hold an 8-1 advantage, there was no doubting the GIANTS’ inaugural over the Swans was an iconic moment that helped fuel the Battle of the Bridge for years to come.
SEPTEMBER SHOWDOWNS
The rivalry reached new heights in 2016 when the GIANTS met the Swans in their first-ever final in front of a crowd of more than 60,000 at ANZ Stadium.
The first of three finals match-ups between the sides to date - all of which the GIANTS have won - saw the Orange Tsunami surge to an impressive 36-point qualifying final win to book a spot in the preliminary final.
Termed a ‘demolition derby’ in the aftermath for its physicality and heated nature, the bruising contest saw the GIANTS batter their big brother with a 95-63 advantage in the tackle count.
GIANTS pair Shane Mumford and Steve Johnson made their presence felt in the argy-bargy contest, with Mumford involved in a sledging war with Franklin as well as finding himself in hot water for a heavy tackle on Swans forward Kurt Tippett, while Johnson ended up with a one-week ban after collecting Josh Kennedy high.
The second final between the sides came two years later in 2018 when the GIANTS once again upstaged the Swans on the big stage to end their season with a dominant 49-point elimination-final win at the SCG.
After a tight first quarter, the GIANTS dominated the rest of the game, piling on eight consecutive goals either side of half-time to run out 10.19 (79) to 4.6 (30) winners.
Adding salt to the Swans’ wounds, the GIANTS held their rivals to their lowest-ever score in a final since their move to Sydney.
The GIANTS continued their stranglehold over the Swans in finals after registering another September win in 2020 in the most unusual circumstances.
Brought on due to complications from the pandemic, the GIANTS and the Swans met in an elimination final at the University of Tasmania Stadium in Launceston where the GIANTS made it three wins from three finals against the Swans with a thrilling one-point victory to end the Swans’ season once again.
Up by three goals at the final break, the GIANTS held off a late fightback from their cross-town rival to register a nail-biting 11.8 (74) to 10.13 (73) win in another classic between the sides.
Toby Greene was the star of the show as the dynamic forward kicked three goals to lead the GIANTS to their third straight finals win over the Swans.
HOME AND AWAY THRILLERS
While the Swans hold a 16-10 advantage in the Battle of the Bridge - much of which was inflicted in the early years - the GIANTS hold a 9-8 advantage over the Swans since 2016, including a trio of thrilling wins during the home and away season.
In 2019 the GIANTS stamped themselves as the best team in town with a third-straight Derby win in a thrilling contest at the-then GIANTS Stadium in round 20.
Down early against the 15th placed Swans, the GIANTS kept their top four chances alive as they fought back before holding on for a 12.11 (83) to 12.9 (81) win in another epic Battle of the Bridge.
Another classic in round five, 2021 saw the GIANTS claim another two-point win as Josh Kelly’s match-winning goal in the dying moments helped the orange team surge to its eighth Derby win.
Having not led since the first quarter, the GIANTS hit the lead with just 66 seconds left after Kelly snapped truly to snatch victory from the Swans in a front of a packed SCG.
With a knack for winning the close ones against the Swans, the GIANTS registered another epic Derby win in round seven last year when Toby Greene stunned the Swans with a match-winning goal inside the final minute.
Arguably the best game between the sides to date, the GIANTS overcame a 24-point deficit early in the final term with the last four goals of the match as Greene snapped a brilliant goal over his left shoulder to give his side a 17.5 (107) to 16.10 (106) win.
MOST RECENT CLASH: SWANS SNAP GIANT STREAK
In the last match-up between the sides it was the Swans who left the now ENGIE Stadium with winning grins after snapping the GIANTS’ record-breaking seven-match winning streak with a gutsy 11-point win in round 21 last year.
The deadly accurate Swans kicked 11 goals straight in the first half to hold an 18-point lead at the main break before holding off a resilient GIANTS side to register a 15.6 (96) to 12.13 (85) win to hand Adam Kingsley and his men their first loss in two months.
Tom Green (38 touches, 10 tackles) starred for the GIANTS while Errol Gulden was awarded the Brett Kirk Medal after kicking two goals to go along with his 32 touches.
BRETT KIRK MEDAL
Awarded to the player judged best afield in each Battle of the Bridge, Luke Parker has been a dominant force throughout the rivalry, with the inside midfielder claiming the honour five times - 2016, 2020, 2021 and 2022 (twice).
Parker is one of five multiple winners of the Brett Kirk Medal, with Buddy Franklin (3), Kieren Jack (3), Josh Kennedy (2) and former GIANTS co-captain Callan Ward (2) also receiving the honour more than once.
Stars Toby Greene and Errol Gulden are the most recent recipients of the award after match-winning performances in last year’s two meetings between the sides.
NEXT CHAPTER
With the last 10 clashes between the sides split at 5-5, all eyes now turn to the SCG on Saturday as the GIANTS and the Swans look to stake claim as Sydney’s best side.
