Canberra provides Giants-Bulldogs rivalry additional spice

One of many AFL’s fiercest rivalries could have just a few additional dimensions for GWS once they play the Western Bulldogs.

The Giants are coming off a one-point win over Sydney, however have misplaced their final 4 in opposition to the Canine.

They can even take a worrying eight-game shedding streak at Manuka Oval into Saturday evening’s conflict.

With GWS on a 3-4 report and the Bulldogs at 4-3, it’s a pivotal duel for 2 mid-table groups who’re eyeing the highest eight.

The match can even characteristic two of the sport’s finest captains – Giants skipper Toby Greene, who kicked the match-winning aim in opposition to the Swans, and Marcus Bontempelli, who’s coming off his two hundredth recreation.

Their conflict through the 2019 elimination closing, which earned Greene a positive for critical misconduct, is a key characteristic of the Giants-Bulldogs folklore.

New GWS coach Adam Kingsley has rapidly turn out to be conscious {that a} match in opposition to the Bulldogs is price extra to his gamers than 4 factors.

“It is a large recreation. Clearly they’ve had some actually robust battles … shut, intense video games,” Kingsley stated.

“Outdoors of the Swans, that is most likely the largest recreation that our gamers play.”

When Kingsley was requested on Tuesday whether or not Greene ought to be thought of among the many perfect gamers within the AFL, he instantly referenced Bontempelli as properly.

“I might suppose he is thereabouts. We’ll play one this week clearly in Bontempelli,” Kingsley stated.

“He is in that prime echelon of a handful of gamers who could be thought of one of the best gamers within the recreation, for certain.”

Requested if they’d contemplate tagging the Bulldogs captain, Kingsley replied: “We’ll definitely have consideration on him, that is for certain. For those who let him run round by himself … he’ll have an infinite impression.

“We’ll attempt to nullify that as finest as we probably can. We’ll definitely be paying him shut consideration.”

Greene is captaining GWS by himself for the primary time this 12 months and he has impressed everybody, together with his coach.

“To see the best way he conducts himself week to week, the assistance he supplies his teammates on and off the sector … his management across the group is admittedly robust,” Kingsley stated.

“He trains in a means that just about forces you to comply with him. He definitely leads the best way in that sense as properly.

“I am pleasantly shocked that he is that kind of character who’s an incredible teammate, an incredible chief and positively by means of actions, in addition to phrases.

“It looks like his impression on the group is big.”

Whereas the Giants are but to construct consistency, their greatest shedding margin is just 21 factors.

However for Kingsley successful at Manuka, their second dwelling, is “actually necessary”.

“I see chance inside the group. If we play our greatest, we are able to beat anybody,” Kingsley stated.

“It is only a matter of delivering and taking part in our greatest in opposition to good, high quality opposition.