Preview Round 11 2024 – Geelong Cats vs GWS Giants, Saturday May 25, 4.35pm AEST, GMHBA Stadium

[Giant Strides]

Ward Withdrawn

Callan Ward has been withdrawn from the team to take on Geelong.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

GIANTS veteran Callan Ward

8

Callan Ward

Age

34

Ht

187cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.8

5star

K

11.2

4star

HB

11.5

5star

M

3.8

4star

T

4.3

5star

CL

5.4

5star

D

17.8

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

8.8

4star

M

2.3

2star

T

2.3

3star

CL

3.3

4star

D

10.0

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.8

4star

has withdrawn from the 23-man team to take on Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday with illness.

Ward won’t travel to Geelong with the team, with Jacob Wehr named as his replacement.

Harry Rowston has been added to the emergencies list.

 

[Drummond]

Would’ve liked to see Rowston.

 

[Brave New World]

Kind of understand how Connor feels. I am from his former neck of the woods and will be going to the game courtesy of tickets being available due to the whole extended family being ‘nuffies’; myself being the exception having never following the ‘Pivotonians’ and been with GWS since TAC days. If we win tomorrow and I don’t post again; it probably means I had to leave town.



Why former ‘Geelong nuffie’ Connor Idun

39

Connor Idun

Age

24

Ht

193cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

74.0

1star

No current season stats available

D

8.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

74.0

1star

is confident GWS Giants aren’t far from their best

By LACHLAN MCKIRDY

NSW AFL REPORTER

NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA SPORTS NEWSROOM

24 MAY 2024

Connor Idun

39

Connor Idun

Age

24

Ht

193cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

74.0

1star

No current season stats available

D

8.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

74.0

1star

and his mates would spend every second weekend the same way.

After moving to Geelong with his mum, he naturally became a Cats fans.

It quickly developed into fandom, becoming a member and dreaming of pulling on the blue and white hoops.

“It was pretty much park in the same carpark, just down near the train station, then head up to the stadium,” Idun said.

“It was the same seats every week because of the membership with a family friend and her son, so it was good.

“I was a Geelong nuffie so used to cry when they lost. So happy when they won, but that’s changed now for sure.”

Coming through Geelong’s TAC Cup team, the Drysdale teenager regularly impressed for the Falcons. He was firmly in the sights of the Cats when the 2018 draft came around but the Giants swooped to bring him up to Sydney.

While there will be some fondness for another homecoming on Saturday, Idun’s mission, besides coming away with the win, continues to be spreading the orange and charcoal gospel as wide as possible.

“There’s too many friends and family (who still go for Geelong,” Idun said.

“I’m trying to slowly transition them into Giants fans. I think the past two or three games down there have been good for us to get the win and give them a few scarves and badges, things like that.”

DOES THE G IN GMHBA STAND FOR GIANTS?

The Giants’ seven-point win over the Cats in the corresponding fixture last year in Geelong was significant for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it was the occasion for Idun’s first and only Brownlow vote to date after nine intercept possessions, 10 spoils and two intercept marks. It was also their third win in as many matches at Kardinia Park.

However, for Adam Kingsley

Adam Kingsley

Age

49

Ht

183cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.9

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.3

3star

No current season stats available

D

16.4

4star

K

10.4

4star

HB

6.0

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

it proved to be the turning point in his first year as a head coach. GWS headed into the game with a 3-7 record and staring down another bottom-four finish.

The victory sparked an incredible turn in form that saw the Giants fall just one point short of a grand final berth.

“Definitely looking back at it last year, that’s the game everything clicked,” Idun said.

“I think we had slight doubts in our system and what was happening because we had new coaches and system. So for that game, to go down there and beat a quality team like Geelong, that sort of grew a lot of belief in the side.

“We took a lot from that game and it continued for the rest of the year. So that was a turning point.”

A hallmark of this Giants side under Kingsley has been their ability to produce a strong performance when their backs are against the wall.

Travelling down to Geelong last year typified that as they lifted for Toby Greene

4

Toby Greene

Age

31

Ht

182cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.7

5star

K

12.5

5star

HB

10.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.0

5star

G

1.2

4star

D

17.5

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.8

4star

T

1.0

2star

G

2.3

5star

D

26.6

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

14.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.6

5star

G

0.0

1star

’s 200th game in one of the most hostile environments in the competition for the crucial four points.

“The city stops when there’s a game in Geelong which is good,” Idun said. “If you live there and don’t go for Geelong, you’re the odd one out.

“I love heading back there and playing … and it’s always good to shut up the family and friends that do go for Geelong.”

The Giants have been quick to draw on their previous experiences in Geelong ahead of this week’s crucial match-up. Going into the game on the back of three losses, there’s a sense of urgency at the club that things need to turn around.

A loss wouldn’t ruin their season by any means, but it’s been the matter of their defeats which has been concerning. They’ve gone away from their quick ball movement and transition footy, and been thoroughly outplayed for over a month.

Kingsley brought up last year’s match against the Cats immediately after their loss to the Bulldogs last weekend. Setting the record straight in a familiar setting, in front of an even more parochial crowd for Tom Hawkins

26

Tom Hawkins

Age

36

Ht

197cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

4.4

3star

M

5.5

5star

T

1.9

4star

G

2.1

5star

D

12.7

3star

K

8.6

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

5.1

5star

T

2.1

3star

G

1.6

5star

D

7.8

2star

K

5.6

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.0

3star

G

2.2

5star

’ milestone match, is high on the agenda.

“We’re not hoping, we really do need to perform down there,” Idun said.

“They’re a great side and they’ve had a couple losses in a row so they’re going to come out firing as well. So we’re keen for the battle.

“For us, it’s just the fundamentals. Kicking, handballing, marking. Last year, when we were at our best, we would turn the ball over and then just cut teams up. We’re not quite there at the moment.

“It’ll click eventually. You don’t want to be playing your best footy in May or June. We’re building for that September and we really do need to start getting into form now and putting our system to work.”

 

[Giant Pete]

Hope I’m wrong but don’t see us coming away with the four points this time. Buckley has been enormous for us down back, and will be missed.
Our midfield over the past month has been beaten every week. Even in games we won, eg. Gold Coast, our mids have been getting smacked. In our vfl team, the midfield has been going even worse.
Haven’t seen a single thing that would lead me to thinking it’s going to turn around this week. They are very lucky the bulldogs kicking was so bad last week. We should have lost by 90 points. I don’t even think they realise how bad they are going.
They have talked about finals all this year… I think they think it’s just going to happen.
The urgency in tackle and defence just isn’t there. The lack of focus on basic skills just isn’t there. We had our most experienced midfielder kick the ball the wrong way that lead directly to a goal, for goodness sake. I cannot recall an experienced player doing that…. Ever.
Of course I’d love to be wrong, but they have really had no excuses. Our injury list isn’t that bad, and we have plenty of talent on the park. The players know the gamestyle.
They have just stunk it up.
We racked up wins against easy teams and thought we could just cruise past others.
If we were a Melbourne team they players and coach would cop more heat… but they sneak under the radar. Eg. Imaging if Scott Pendlebury

10

Scott Pendlebury

Age

37

Ht

191cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

26.5

5star

K

13.2

5star

HB

13.3

5star

M

4.1

4star

T

4.9

5star

CL

4.9

5star

D

25.1

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

12.9

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.3

3star

CL

3.6

4star

D

12.4

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

4.8

4star

M

5.8

5star

T

2.6

4star

kicked it the wrong way for a goal after three consecutive losses… it’d be talked about all across town.
I know I’m negative Nelly, but these shit performances should be highlighted more. The performances by so many players recently have just been embarrassing.