Match

GWS Giants vs Gold Coast Suns

Commentary / 21 Jul 2023

Pre Game

00:00
Gold Coast have lost 10 of their last 11 matches against GWS – with their only win coming by one point in 2021.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:20
GWS wins the first clearance of the game from a ball up, with the clearance going to Brent Daniels. GWS averages the second least amount of ball-up clearances in the AFL - averaging 11.1 per game.
02:20
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Wil Powell)
03:57
Gold Coast has had three of this match's first five inside 50s. They usually lose the inside 50 count by 3.4 on average this season - ranked fifteenth in the league.
05:34
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Ben Ainsworth)
05:49
Ben Ainsworth scores the first goal of the game, with the goal being launched from the defensive midfield zone. The Suns score from 20.3% of their defensive midfield chains - above the AFL average of 19.6%.
08:16
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Nick Haynes)
09:38
The Giants are leading the contested possession count by 10 against the third-best team in this metric. Normally, the Giants finish the game having 4.2 fewer contested possessions than their opponent - ranked fifth-last.
09:58
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Brent Daniels)
09:59
Brent Daniels converts the Giants' first goal today, with the goal sourcing from their attacking midfield. The Giants average the fourth-most points launched from this zone this year - averaging 31.2 points per game.
12:31
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
14:59
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ben Ainsworth)
15:00
After conceding six of the first eight inside 50s, the Giants have got a hold on the territory game by having the last five. They have also locked the ball in their forward half for 65% of the last ten minutes.
18:43
Sam Collins has already taken a whopping five intercept marks, well on track to break his career-best count of seven. The most in a quarter by any player this season is six by Nick Blakey and Esava Ratugolea.
20:24
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Hewago Oea)
20:45
Hewago Oea bags his first goal of the occasion, with it sourcing from a stoppage. Although the Suns average the fourth-most clearances this season, they only score from 24.8% of them - ranked seventh in the AFL.
23:03
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Isaac Cumming)
23:11
Isaac Cumming's goal was launched from the Giants' defensive midfield. This season, they have only scored from 16.9% of their chains launched from this zone - ranked second-last.
25:36
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
26:00
Toby Greene finishes from a set shot following a great tackle inside forward 50. Toby Greene has finished goalless in just one of his last 12 games at Manuka Oval – finishing with 22 disposals and two goals against the Lions in Round 6 this year.
27:48
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Elijah Hollands)
29:02
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
30:16
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Jack Lukosius)
30:21
The Gold Coast has done an impressive job locking the ball in their forward half, having 59% of the quarter spent in their forward half. They have also had 8-1 forward half intercepts in comparison to the Giants.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:18
A quick goal from a centre bounce to start the second term. The Giants average 7.5 points launched from centre bounce this season - ranked second-last in the AFL.
00:22
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Daniel Lloyd)
02:38
The pressure in this game has been lacklustre, with the match pressure factor being 168. Both the Giants and the Suns are normally involved in games with a match pressure factor of 182.
04:16
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rory Atkins)
04:27
Sam Flanders has had a tremendous start to the game. He has already collected game-highs with 12 disposals, in which seven were won in a contested manner, six clearances and eight pressure acts. He won a career-high 33 disposals in Round 18 – and has also had at least 13 contested possessions for four matches in a row.
06:41
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Brent Daniels)
07:54
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
08:26
Toby Greene has been the Giants' most-targeted player inside 50, being targeted four times. He has retained the ball and scored from 50% of the times he has been targeted, scoring 1.2 (8) for the game.
10:54
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
11:46
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Callum M. Brown)
12:10
The Giants have now kicked two goals from chains launched from attacking midfield stoppages. They score 9.9 points from this source on average - ranked third in the AFL. They scored 20 points from this source last round - their best return for the season.
14:17
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Noah Anderson)
15:08
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)
16:56
GWS have been efficient when going inside 50. They have retained the ball from 65% of their entries in comparison to the Suns' 38%, as well as being able to score from 60% of their entries in comparison to 43% from Gold Coast.
17:40
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
22:30
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Ben Ainsworth)
22:31
Ben Ainsworth kicks his second (with it being the fifth time he has kicked multiple goals in a game this season) to stop a run of three goals from the Giants. Four of the Suns' five goals have been launched from their midfield zone with only one goal in this game being launched from inside the arches.
24:40
The Giants have owned the ball in this contest as they have been able to win the ball on the inside having seven more contested possessions, and have been able to get it on the outside as they have had 16 more uncontested possessions in comparison to the Suns.
25:59
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Ryan Angwin)
28:40
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Jack Lukosius)
29:55
The Suns with the last two goals of the second term to bring the margin down to two points. They have been damaging from their defensive midfield zone as they have scored three goals from their eight chains started in this zone. Gold Coast normally score 2.3 goals from their defensive midfield for a game on average.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:20
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Josh Kelly)
00:27
Deja vu for the Giants as they score an opening goal of the term from a centre bounce. They have now kicked two goals from centre bounce today. Their best return for goals launched from centre bounce was three, which came in Round 1, against the Crows.
01:10
It has been an even ruck battle between Kieren Briggs and Jarrod Witts. Briggs leads the hitouts-to-advantage 7-4 and the Giants have scored 4-2 goals from stoppages, although the clearances are even at 14 each when these two have been rucking opponents.
02:04
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Levi Casboult)
02:23
Levi Casboult bites back as the Suns kick a response goal from centre bounce. The Suns average 8.5 points from centre bounces - ranked fifth-last.
06:20
Toby Greene has already had six shots at goal today for a return of 2.3 (15) on the scoreboard. He averages 4.7 shots at goal per game - the fourth-most in the competition.
06:25
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Brent Daniels)
09:24
Both teams have had eight repeat inside 50s, but the Giants have capitalised from their chances, scoring 3.2 (20) in comparison to the Suns' 1.0 (6).
09:39
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Callum M. Brown)
11:54
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Ryan Angwin)
11:58
Four goals from seven entries for the Giants, making it a goal from 57% of their entries in the third term. The Giants have scored a goal from 16.7% of their inside 50s this season - ranked fourteenth but only 0.4% above last-placed Saint Kilda. Two of the three kicks inside 50 Callan Ward has had has resulted in a Giants goal this term.
15:31
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ben King)
18:51
GWS has been stronger once the ball has left the stoppage area, winning 23 more post-clearance contested possessions in comparison to the Suns. The Giants' best differential in this metric for the season is 22, which came against North Melbourne in Round 13.
20:47
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Daniel Lloyd)
21:53
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
22:02
Toby Greene's third goal becomes the Giants' first goal not launched from the midfield zone, with it being launched from their defensive 50. The Giants average 14 points launched from this zone - ranked sixth in the AFL.
27:06
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
27:27
Harry Himmelberg has been enjoying his switch-up in position after spending the majority of his time in defence since Round 9, with his previous time being spent as a forward/ruck. He has had 20 disposals, nine intercept possessions, 11 marks, of which four were intercept marks as well as launching two of GWS' scores.
30:11
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Bedford)
30:17
The Giants kick a late goal to top of their third-quarter dominance. They have had a clear motive to move the ball with pace through overlapping handball receives, having 22 more handball receives and gaining 700 more metres overall from this source.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:41
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jake Riccardi)
02:18
Jake Riccardi's goal comes off the back of brilliant pressure, with the goal being launched from a forward 50 turnover. The Giants only average 6.5 points per game from this source - ranked fifteenth in the AFL.
03:18
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Brent Daniels)
06:45
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Callum M. Brown)
07:15
A key part of GWS' dominance today has been built on their strength in the marking contests. Jack Buckley has been involved in the most defensive 1v1 contests for GWS today and has won 60% of them - well above his average of 31.8%.
09:43
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
11:28
Gold Coast are still yet to find a mark following an inside 50 entry - a trend for them as they only find a mark from 16.3% of their kicks inside 50 - ranked second-last.
12:06
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jake Riccardi)
14:22
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Stephen Coniglio)
14:46
Stephen Coniglio kicks the Giants' eighth goal in a row, with the goal being his 12th score involvement for the game - his equal-second most this season. His most came in Round 1, against the Crows where he was involved in 15 scores.
16:02
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Jack Lukosius)
17:46
The Suns have had 18 more turnovers than the Giants - their biggest differential for the season. Normally, they average 1.4 more turnovers than their opponent - ranked fourth-last.
19:43
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Bedford)
21:54
SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)
22:15
The pressure being applied from the Gold Coast has been concerning, as they have only registered a pressure factor of 157 for the game - their current lowest for the year. Their next lowest for the season is 168.
25:27
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Aaron Cadman)
26:09
SCORE GOAL - Suns (Elijah Hollands)
26:12
A neat finish from Elijah Hollands as he kicks his second for the game and brings his score involvements up to a team-high seven. The last time he kicked multiple goals in a game was in Round 21 of 2022, against the Hawks.
30:40
Another disappointing defeat for the Suns as their finals chances continue to slip from their grasp. They had four more inside 50s than the Giants but were unable to make those entries count as they only retained 38% and scored from 34% of their entries in comparison to GWS' 65% and 57%.