Match day guide and preview for the 2022 AFL round 7 game between the GWS Giants and Adelaide Crows.
Match details
Who: Adelaide Crows vs GWS Giants
When: Saturday 30 April 2022, 2.10pm
Where: Adelaide Oval, SA
Weather: Min 14 Max 19. Chance of rain 20%
All time head-to-head record: Played 14. Giants 4 wins. Crows 10 wins.
Teams
Giants
IN: Jesse Hogan, Cooper Hamilton (debut)
OUT: Jake Stein (omitted), Matt de Boer (medi-sub), Tanner Bruhn (omitted)
Hogan comes back in which should help the Giants struggles to score, while 18-year-old Hamilton comes in for his AFL debut.
Crows
IN:
OUT: Will Hamill (medi-sub)
Adelaide have made no changes to the side that knocked off the Dogs last week.
Season so far
GWS Giants 15th – 73.7% | 415 points for | 563 points against | 1 win 5 losses | LLLWL
It has been a tough start to the season for GWS and coach Leon Cameron, with the side now 1-5 after a tough loss to the Saints in Canberra last week.
While their effort has been there all season, GWS are lacking some connection and polish, with their ball use failing them at crucial moments.
The Giants are ranked 10th for inside 50s with 51 per game, but it is their inability to convert entries into goals that is really hurting them.
Cameron said during the week that GWS are a club that never gives up on finals so expect them to keep fighting tooth and nail to keep their season alive.
Adelaide Crows 10th – 95.6% | 499 points for | 522 points against | 3 wins 3 losses | WWLWL
Not many were expecting much of the Crows in 2022, but they have played some good footy and have put themselves in a position to challenge for finals.
After a lean patch since the 2017 grand final, Adelaide fans would be thrilled with how their team is performing, although their blood pressure may be going through the roof given four of their six games have been decided by under a goal, including two by just one point.
Ben Keays has been a standout performer all year, while Taylor Walker has made a significant difference since returning from suspension in fine form.
The Crows thrilling win over a more fancied Bulldogs side last week in Ballarat should give them plenty of confidence for this clash.
Key players
Toby Greene – GWS
Some were expecting Greene to come straight into the Giants team and solve all of their forward issues straight away, but the co-captain struggled to have an impact in his return from suspension, managing just 1 goal from 14 disposals.
While it’s understandable for Greene to be slightly rusty in his first game of the season, he owes it to his teammates to start lifting them to wins quickly.
The Giants have a serious issue when it comes to scoring, they rank last for converting inside 50s into goals, 16th for total points scored and have kicked just 23 goals in the last three weeks combined.
While guys like Harry Himmelberg and Jesse Hogan have played the odd standout game here and there over the years, Greene has to be the one to help GWS kick a winning score.
Ben Keays – Adelaide
After being delisted by Brisbane at the end of 2019, the Crows scooped up Keays in the rookie draft and he has been simply superb for the club.
After managing just 4 games in his final two years at the Lions, Keays has already played 44 for Adelaide in just over two seasons and finished second in the Crows best and fairest in a breakout 2021 campaign.
The 25-year-old has been even better in 2022 and would have himself well and truly in All-Australian consideration, averaging 31.7 disposals, 6 tackles and 6.5 clearances per game.
Keays was one of the Crows best in last week’s upset win over the Bulldogs, and the club will need him firing against a talented Giants midfield.
Last 5 meetings and Adelaide Oval history
- 2021 round 7 – Crows 4.15 (39) lost to Giants 15.16 (106) at Adelaide Oval
- 2020 round 16 – Crows 8.11 (59) defeat Giants 7.5 (47) at Adelaide Oval
- 2019 round 12 – Crows 12.10 (82) defeat Giants9.7 (61) at Adelaide Oval
- 2018 round 21 – Giants 15.16 (106) defeat Crows 13.14 (92) at Manuka Oval
- 2018 round 11 – Crows 11.15 (81) lost to Giants 14.13 (97) at Adelaide Oval
Despite Adelaide holding a commanding 10-4 overall record, the Giants have a 3-2 edge over the last five meetings.
The Giants smashed the Crows by 67 points in their only meeting last season with Hogan booting four goals.
There have been eight previous matchups at Adelaide Oval, with the Crows leading the count 6-2.
Interestingly, seven of the last eight encounters between the sides have been played at Adelaide Oval, with the other game held in Canberra in 2018.
The teams have only played in Sydney four times with the last clash in 2015.
Other match details
Saturday’s match will be shown live on Fox Footy and Kayo nationally from 2pm. It will also be live on Channel 7 in the ACT and NSW.
The Giants cheer squad will be located in section 146 of the ground so other GWS fans wanting to attend may like to sit close to bay 146 to not feel so outnumbered.
Have any pre match predictions of your own? Let us know in the comments below.
