Match day guide and preview for the 2022 AFL round 14 game between the GWS Giants and Western Bulldogs.
Match details
Who: GWS Giants vs Western Bulldogs
When: Saturday 18 June 2022, 7.25pm
Where: Giants Stadium NSW
Weather: Max 19, chance of rain 70%
All time head-to-head record: Played 14. Giants 6 wins. Bulldogs 8 wins.
Teams
Giants
IN: Braydon Preuss, Nick Haynes, Ryan Angwin
OUT: Harry Perryman (injured), Jake Stein (medi-sub), Matt de Boer (injured), Zach Sproule (omitted)
DEBUT: Ryan Angwin
After surprisingly being left out last week, Haynes returns to bolster the backline, while Preuss get another chance as the Giants elect to play two genuine ruckman. 19-year-old Angwin will make his AFL debut after some impressive form in the reserves.
Bulldogs
IN: Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Jason Johannisen, Josh Schache
OUT: Bailey Smith (suspension), Buku Khamis (omitted), Lachlan McNeil (omitted), Mitch Wallis (medi-sub)
Ugle-Hagan comes back in to give the Dogs some much needed height in their forward line, while Schache also adds some size. The speedy Johannisen will play his first AFL game this season after recovering from injury. Smith is a huge out for the Bulldogs and will miss the next month after copping two separate two-week suspensions.
Season so far
GWS Giants 13th – 92% | 974 points for | 1059 points against | 4 wins 8 losses | WLWLL
The Giants have looked far more willing to move the ball quickly since Mark McVeigh took over as interim coach and their scoring has certainly improved.
They have won two of his three games as coach, and have scored 138, 96 and 102 points, which are three of their highest four scores of the season.
However, those two wins where they scored over 100 points came against West Coast and North Melbourne who are both sitting on just one win with season with a percentage around 50 per cent.
This game shapes as a great test to see how much the Giants have improved in recent weeks and a win will keep their slim finals hopes alive.
Western Bulldogs 10th – 118.5% | 1102 points for | 930 points against | 6 wins 6 losses | LWWWL
Coming off a Grand Final appearance last year, the Bulldogs have been one of the most disappointing sides so far in 2022 and find themselves outside of the top 8.
Some teams can really struggle after a Grand Final belting, and it feels like that might be the case for this Dogs side that just don’t look like the same team that won three finals last year.
Their forward line has struggled mightily with Aaron Naughton the only one that looks like he can consistently impact games, while their backline also looks completely undersized.
This almost feels like make or break for the Bulldogs season, so anything short of a win would be disappointing for these once premiership fancies.
Last 5 meetings and Giants Stadium history
- 2021 round 6: Giants 9.11 (65) lost to Bulldogs 15.14 (104) at Manuka Oval
- 2020 round 3: Bulldogs 8.9 (57) defeated Giants 4.9 (33) at Marvel Stadium
- 2019 Elimination Final: Giants 16.17 (113) defeated Bulldogs 8.7 (55) at Giants Stadium
- 2019 round 22: Giants 9.11 (65) lost to Bulldogs 19.12 (126) at Giants Stadium
- 2018 round 1: Giants 20.13 (133) defeated Bulldogs 7.9 (51) at Manuka Oval
The Bulldogs have a 3-2 record over the Giants in the last five meeting and were far too good for them in their only clash last year in Canberra.
A lot gets made of the heated rivalry between these sides and while there is usually plenty pf physical play, there hasn’t been a close game between them since round 6 2017. In the last six meetings, the average margin of victory is 52 points.
They have only played each other at Giants Stadium four times with the results evenly split 2-2. The most famous game at the venue was the 2016 Preliminary Final that saw the Bulldogs triumph by six points in an epic.
Pre match predictions
Ang-win on debut: GWS to get the job done on Angwin’s debut.
Other match details
The match will be shown live on the Channel 7 network in the ACT and NSW from 7.25pm. It will be on Foxtel nationally and is also available to stream on Kayo.
Have any pre match predictions of your own? Let us know in the comments below.
