2019 Elimination Final Game Day - GWS Giants V Western Bulldogs

[Eastdog]

https://m.afl.com.au/news/2019-09-03...stern-bulldogs

Elimination final preview: Greater Western Sydney v Western Bulldogs
Adam Curley
Sep 3, 2019 2:15PM

Where and when: Giants Stadium, Saturday September 7, 3.20pm AEST

TV, radio and online: Click here for broadcast guide

What it means for GWS: The Giants were embarrassed by the Dogs when they met at the same venue in round 22, but they know that result has no bearing on this week's final. With some big names back, they'll be keen to show the visitors just how good their best is and end the Bullies' season.

What it means for the Bulldogs: An outstanding run of form after the mid-season bye wasn't enough to snatch a home final, but the Dogs are in ominous touch. Get past the Giants and the momentum continues.

The stat: 10.9 (69): that's how much the Dogs scored against the Giants in the second half in round 22, while the home side could manage just 0.5. GWS gave up 63 inside 50s that day, lost the contested possession count (150-130) and tackles (80-58).

The match-up: Josh Kelly v Lachie Hunter

The two left-footers are both ball-magnets on the wing for their respective sides. Kelly probably causes more damage by foot and can also move into the midfield when needed, but Hunter is an accumulator who never stops running.

It's a big week for: Matt de Boer

The tagger will go to Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli like he did in round 22, and his role will have a significant say in the result if he can reduce the effectiveness of the star midfielder. He's had two games back from a serious shoulder injury, so de Boer will be tough to shake.

Big call: Young guns Josh Dunkley and Tim Taranto will go head to head in the midfield and combine for 70-plus possessions and 20-plus tackles.

Prediction: Bulldogs by eight points

[Remi Moses]

Well folks not only has spring sprung but it’s the season of miracles .
The plastics up in arms about the Bont not being suspended for the outcome of the Haynes injury , yet miraculously Haynes is able to play this weekend ! How insane Is it that players are suspended on outcomes and in some cases outcomes that are wrong

[Grantysghost]

Well folks not only has spring sprung but it’s the season of miracles .
The plastics up in arms about the Bont not being suspended for the outcome of the Haynes injury , yet miraculously Haynes is able to play this weekend ! How insane Is it that players are suspended on outcomes and in some cases outcomes that are wrong

How quickly do tracheostomies heal these days? The wonders of modern medicine.

[AshMac]

Well folks not only has spring sprung but it’s the season of miracles .
The plastics up in arms about the Bont not being suspended for the outcome of the Haynes injury , yet miraculously Haynes is able to play this weekend ! How insane Is it that players are suspended on outcomes and in some cases outcomes that are wrong

Essentially - GWS wanted Bont suspended for longer than the player would have missed w injury....

[Eastdog]

Was great to start another finals thread. Go Dogs!

[Eastdog]

https://m.westernbulldogs.com.au/new...hin-the-battle

Elimination Final: The battle within the battle
Mac McGowan (AFL Media)
Sep 3, 2019 4:27PM

The battles within the (football) war.

Plenty needs to go right for a team to win an AFL final, so players taking the honours in their individual match-up or positional groups are crucial pieces of the overall puzzle.

AFL.com.au, with help from the competition's official number-cruncher Champion Data, has delved into the key midfield match-up in the GWS vs Western Bulldogs Elimination Final clash.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY v WESTERN BULLDOGS

This game brings together a large chunk of the AFL's best midfield talent, even with Greater Western Sydney's Stephen Coniglio and Callan Ward and Bulldogs Tom Liberatore and Mitch Wallis on the injury shelf.

Jacob Hopper, who is having a career-best season, hasn't appeared against the Bulldogs since 2017, but is due back from a hamstring injury and could help tip the balance. Only Matt de Boer averages more centre attendances (19.8) for GWS in 2019, and the tagger had to work overtime in the last match-up (27).

Hopper was out and Josh Kelly was playing his first game in six weeks, so first-year onballer Jye Caldwell also made 13 centre attendances. It remains to be seen where Toby Greene plays in his return.

The boys from the Kennel are pouring on the pressure in their forward half, and that's helped them be the No.1 scoring team in the AFL since round 19.

However, they're also crushing teams in contested ball (plus-10.4), winning more than 60 extra possessions and scoring at a high rate from clearances (ranked third for differential).

Making this interesting is that when the Giants were up and going through Round 14, they ranked No.1 in disposal differential and contested possession differential and second in scores from clearance differential.

May the best midfield win.

STATS OF NOTE

GWS: The Giants kick the ball more than any other team (234.4 per game) and rank No.1 for scores from centre bounces differential (+6.8).

Western Bulldogs: No.1 for inside 50 differential (+16.3), time in forward half differential (+13:09) and scores from intercept possessions (65.8) across the past four rounds.

[Eastdog]

Margin: Dogs by 6 points
First Goal: Bailey Dale
Last Goal: Jack Macrae within the last minute
Best On Ground: Bont!

[1eyedog]

Plastics by 22 points
Lloyd first major
Bont

[angelopetraglia]

“The Dogs are barking that another southern invasion is on the cards on Saturday, but GWS is confident of repelling it.

Three buses will depart Footscray at 1am on the morning of the elimination final, as part of an army of 4000 Western Bulldogs members taking to the highways and airways bound for Giants Stadium.”

Looks like we will have the majority of the support again. The Giants have only purchased 2,600 tickets.

[Eastdog]

I’ll be watching the game at home and will probably see some woofers through my TV

[Rocket Science]

“The Dogs are barking that another southern invasion is on the cards on Saturday, but GWS is confident of repelling it.

Three buses will depart Footscray at 1am on the morning of the elimination final, as part of an army of 4000 Western Bulldogs members taking to the highways and airways bound for Giants Stadium.”

Looks like we will have the majority of the support again. The Giants have only purchased 2,600 tickets.

The Giants filmed a skit with Cal Ward in disguise giving finals tickets away to pub patrons, so yeah, the locals have really embraced the hype.

[Twodogs]

The Giants filmed a skit with Cal Ward in disguise giving finals tickets away to pub patrons, so yeah, the locals have really embraced the hype.

Back in the '80s I was walking into the SCG for a game against Sydney. As we got to the gate a man came out of the ground with a hand full of tickets, walked up to a bunch of Sydney supporters who were obviously waiting for him and threw the tickets on the ground where the supporters picked them up just like a bunch of chooks scratching around the farmyard. Dad asked him why he threw on the ground and didn't hand them out like a normal person would? The guy said that they didn't want to be seen to be giving tickets away so this way they can say that they didn't!

[Twodogs]

Dogs by 44 points
First goal-Naughton
BOG-the Bont

[bornadog]

Dogs by 33

First Goal Schache

BOG: The Bont

[Axe Man]

The Giants filmed a skit with Cal Ward in disguise giving finals tickets away to pub patrons, so yeah, the locals have really embraced the hype.

Why would he need to be in disguise? There's no way anybody up there would recognise him anyway.