Match day guide and preview for the 2022 AFL round 8 game between the GWS Giants and the Geelong Cats in Canberra.
Match details
Who: GWS Giants vs Geelong Cats
When: Saturday 7 May 2022, 4.35pm. Gates open 3pm
Where: Manuka Oval, ACT
All time head-to-head record: Played 12. Giants 4 wins. Cats 8 wins.
Teams
Giants
IN:
OUT: Matt de Boer (medi-sub)
GWS are unchanged from last week’s big win.
Cats
IN: Cooper Stephens (debut), Francis Evans, Patrick Dangerfield, Quinton Narkle
OUT: Joel Selwood (injured), Luke Dahlhaus (medi-sub), Max Holmes (injured), Oliver Dempsey (omitted), Shaun Higgins (injured)
The Cats regain one veteran star in Dangerfield, but lose another to injury in Selwood. Stephens will play his first AFL match while Narkle and Evans are also in.
Click here to view the full line-ups.
Season so far
GWS Giants 15th – 85.6% | 528 points for | 617 points against | 2 win 5 losses | WLLLW
The Giants were under real heat heading into last week’s match in Adelaide, but they played their most complete game of the season to dismantle the Crows by 59 points to get their season going.
Importantly, a number of their stars found some form in the win, with the likes of Josh Kelly, Toby Greene, Jesse Hogan and Lachie Whitfield all producing their best games of 2022.
There’s no denying the Giants are capable of making another run to the finals, but sitting at 2-5, these are the games they need to start winning if they’re to make ground on the top sides.
Geelong Cats 7th – 118.5% | 666 points for | 562 points against | 4 wins 3 losses | LWLWW
The Cats are usually an ultra consistent home and away side, but have been a bit up and down so far this season as they attempt a more attacking game style.
Geelong had previously been a side that liked to control possession with short kicks and it worked to good effect until the pressure ramped up in finals and they couldn’t go with the likes of Richmond and Melbourne.
This year they are looking to get the ball moving forward quicker to mixed results with some good wins over Collingwood and Brisbane, and some unexpected losses against the Hawks and Dockers.
The Cats have lost two their previous three matches, so will come to Canberra keen for a win to stay in touch with the top 4.
Key players
Josh Kelly – GWS
Last year’s best and fairest had a solid opening month to the season, but has really stepped it up over the past three weeks.
He was simply brilliant against the Crows, racking up 41 possessions (17 contested), 8 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 6 tackles and 2 goal assists as he picked up 9 coaches votes.
The Giants just love the footy being in Kelly’s hands, with his elite running and classy left boot a real threat for the opposition.
It promises to be a great battle in the middle with Kelly leading his troops against a solid Geelong midfield line up with the likes of Dangerfield, Duncan and Guthrie.
Jeremy Cameron – Cats
For the first time since joining the Cats, Cameron returns to Manuka Oval, a ground where he has kicked more goals than any other AFL player.
Cameron has kicked 50 goals from 19 matches at Manuka, with Barry Hall second on 36 goals and Toby Greene third with 34 goals from 23 matches.
The former Giant has played against his old team just the once and was well held, kicking two goals from 14 possessions.
It’s always a bit of fun when a former star comes up against his old side, so hopefully we see a bit of niggle between Cameron and his old teammates.
Last 5 meetings and Manuka Oval history
- 2021 Semi Final – Cats 15.13 (103) defeat Giants 10.8 (68) at Optus Stadium
- 2021 Round 21 – Cats 8.17 (65) lost to Giants 13.6 (84) at GMHBA Stadium
- 2020 Round 1 – Giants 17.3 (105) defeat Cats 11.7 (73) at Giants Stadium
- 2019 Round 4 – Cats 11.9 (75) lost to Giants 11.13 (79) at GMHBA Stadium
- 2018 Round 7 – Cats 14.9 (93) defeat Giants 4.8 (32) at GMBHA Stadium
GWS have won three of the last four matches, however the Cats took the honours in their last clash, a 35-point victory in the second week of finals.
The Giants won the other matchup last year, with a stunning upset in Geelong where they were missing a host of their stars.
They have met twice at Manuka Oval previously, with the Giants defeating the Cats by 13 points back in round 2 2016 and Geelong beating GWS by 27 points in round 17 2015.
As mentioned before, Cameron holds the record for the most goals at Manuka Oval with 50, while Giants’ champion Callan Ward has played the most AFL matches at the ground with 25.
GWS recorded their first ever win at Manuka Oval, a 94-67 victory over Gold Coast in round 7 2012 in front of 8,603 fans.
Other match details
Saturday’s match will be shown live on Fox Footy and Kayo nationally from 4.35pm. It will also be live on the 7 Network in the ACT and NSW.
The Giants have a fan day in Canberra on Friday 6 May at 4pm. Book your free tickets here.
The Manuka Oval gates open at 3pm.
