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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Angus Fontaine

GWS Giants thrash Collingwood Magpies in AFL opening round – as it happened

Giants Collingwood Magpies Pies AFL Giant GWS Collingwood Magpies Harry Perryman Craig McRae
Darcy Jones and teammate Aaron Cadman celebrate another goal in the Giants’ big win over Collingwood.
Darcy Jones and teammate Aaron Cadman celebrate another goal in the Giants’ big win over Collingwood. Photograph: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos/Getty Images

MATCH REPORT

Greater Western Sydney have overcome the loss of ruckman Kieren Briggs to a neck injury to open their AFL season with a 52-point hammering of an inaccurate Collingwood.

Star midfielder Finn Callaghan was a dominant figure for the Giants in their hard-fought 15.14 (104) to 6.16 (52) victory in energy-sapping conditions at Engie Stadium on Sunday.

But there is concern for Briggs, who was pushed under the ball by opponent Darcy Cameron in a marking contest and went head-first into teammate Sam Taylor’s hip. There did not appear any malice in the first-quarter incident, after which Briggs was driven off the ground and taken to hospital for further assessment.

GWS defender Taylor kicked the first goal of the match - his first since 2019 - courtesy of a 50-metre penalty against Dan McStay, and the Giants were up by four points when Briggs was hurt late in the first quarter.

The lead quickly ballooned to 22 points when the home side slammed on three quick goals in time-on, sparked by Brown’s brilliant snap from the pocket.

The Giants kept their noses in front all match, responding with three straight of their own to lead by 23 points at the main break and 26 at three-quarter time, as a wasteful Collingwood dominated territory during the third term but managed just 0.5.

That’s it for live coverage, folks. Thanks for your company this arvo and enjoy the remainder of your Sunday night.

A silver lining for the Pies as Jack Crisp is chaired off after his 250th.

The Giants are celebrating. Beware the “orange tsunami” in 2025!

FULL TIME: Collingwood 6.15.51 v GWS 15.13.103

Great start for the Giants. Dire first performance by the Magpies.

The first half was a relatively even affair but Greater Western Sydney’s ability to convert pressure into points proved the difference, and when they scored, they usually did it in triplicate. Finn Callaghan led the way with a 33 disposals 12 score involvement. 7 clearances 2 goals performance that reeked of future champion.

For GWS, Darcy Jones, Xavier O’Halloran, Max Gruzewski and Callum Brown kicked two goals each. Josh Kelly (36 disposals), Lachie Whitfield (26) and Lachie Ash (25) won plenty of the ball, while star backman Sam Taylor was a rock in defence with four contested marks and 12 intercept possessions and his first AFL goal since 2019.

Collingwood looked rusty and ragged in the back half of the game, with Nick Daicos badly affected by cramp and his teammates looking flat without his spark. Josh Daicos (28 disposals), former Giants midfielder Harry Perryman (27) were their major ball-winners, while ruckman Darcy Cameron exploited Briggs’ absence to finish with 22 touches, 37 hit-outs and six clearances.

For the Giants it’s a statement victory. Even without three key recruits in Jesse Hogan, Jake Stringer and Tom Green in the starting lineup they were able to recover from losing their key ruckman Kieren Briggs in the first quarter to wallop the 2023 premiers by 52 points. The most experienced side in the competition just got shellacked by the young guns.

Updated

Q4. 4 minutes remaining: Collingwood 6.15.51 v GWS 15.13.103

Can the Giants make this a 50+ victory and really pile on the pain for Collingwood? For now it’s Patrick Lipinski to Jack Crisp in a 250th game that he’ll struggle to enjoy reflecting on. But they’ve lost it again and the Giants are in cat with a mouse mode now as Max Gruzewski launches from the pocket and dribbles it through.

52 points the margin!

Updated

Q4. 7 minutes remaining: Collingwood 6.15.51 v GWS 14.13.97

High comedy now as Tim Membrey makes an absolute meal of a certain goal, playing on after marking from the Jamie Elliott pass and getting hauled down from behind by Toby Greene. Membrey soccered the kick through the sticks but too late. The whistle had spoken. That just about sums it up for the Pies. Or does this? The Giants have sped downfield with three kick and runs where Finn Callaghan nails yet another goal.

Updated

Q4. 9 minutes remaining: Collingwood 6.15.51 v GWS 13.13.91

Lovely goal from Jamie Elliott gets Collingwood some consolation points. The little No 5 spun on a dime deep in the pocket and doubled back to kick that goal off his left. Brilliant! Now another dynamic small gets a shot at the other end as Darcy Jones shies at the sticks from 35m out. But it’s wide. Players are cramping up all over the place out there as players shuck off the round one rust.

Q4. 10 minutes remaining: Collingwood 5.14.44 v GWS 13.11.89

It’s all unravelling for Collingwood. Bobby Hill misses an easy goal at one end and Brody Mihocek gives away another free that sets up the boom youngster James Leake for a set shot from 40m out. The kid nails his first goal in the big leagues. Shut the gate, folks.

Updated

Q4. 12 minutes remaining: Collingwood 5.14.44 v GWS 12.11.83

Three in a row for the Giants! That was lovely play, pin-balling upfield at speed and making the Collingwood defenders look flat footed. Darcy Jones started it, Finn Callaghan fisted it on and then there was calm in the red zone as Stephen Coniglio delivered the final pass for a lovely team goal. The Giants fans are really up and about now.

Updated

Q4. 15 minutes remaining: Collingwood 5.13.43 v GWS 11.9.77

The little man has done it again! Darcy Jones has kicked GWS even further in front. Again it came from that orange tsunami of pressure. Even a late Callum M. Brown couldn’t butcher the opportunity. The zip zip man Jones is there to swoop and snaps off the let to make it a 34-point margin.

Q4. 16 minutes remaining: Collingwood 5.13.43 v GWS 10.9.71

That was Tim Membrey’s first goal for his new club and it came in the nick of time. The margin is still 21 points but Collingwood now have a sniff. Brayden Maynard has copped an accidental boot to the head in that contest but Callum M. Brown can’t hurt him anymore with a shot that flies wide. It doesn’t matter. The Giants have won it back with crazy pressure and Lachie Whitfield has kicked a goal.

Updated

Q4. 18 minutes remaining: Collingwood 5.13.43 v GWS 9.9.63

Bad sign for Collingwood with Nick and Josh Daicos receiuving treatment as Q4 gets started. GWS win the clearance but the old firm of Darcy Cameron and Steele Sidebottom secure the exit. Now the Pies swing it into enemy territory as Brayden Maynard delivers a fine kick to Tim Membrey. He’s within range… and he goals!

Updated

Q3. THREE-QUARTER TIME: Collingwood 4.13.37 v GWS 9.9.63

Last chance for Collingwood with a ball-up in the pocket. Nick Daicos is walking like the TinMan out there, incapable of running so doing a lot of shouting and clapping instead. Darcy Cameron lobs it back toward the sticks but again it’s the pocket rocket of Darcy Jones crumbing it out of trouble. He clears to safety and the siren blows on Q3 to give the Giants a 26 point lead at the final turn.

Updated

Q3. 2 minutes remaining: Collingwood 4.13.37 v GWS 9.9.63

From the restart Lachlan Keeffe puts in a banana kick inside 50 but somewhere in there they’ve pinged Jamie Elliott for a throw off the ground. Giant star Callum M. Brown accelerates into space and his kick to Greene is precision but Greene’s is far from it. It burns the worms and spills free. A deliberate punch over the boundary wins a dubious free for the home side but the Giants can’t turn it into a killer blow.

Q3. 5 minutes remaining: Collingwood 4.12.36 v GWS 9.8.62

Harsh call against Aaron Cadman as he marks cleanly in the air and has it punched out shortly after landing. Fatigue is becoming a factor now as they line up the pickle juice shots on the sideline. Collingwood lead the inside 50s for this quarter by 17 to 3 but haven’t been able to convert the opportunities into pressure. Insrtead they’=ve coughed it up… and now they’ve done it again and it’s Darcy Jones running away with the crumbs. He bounces once, twice, FIVE times and then goals for the Giants!

Q3. 6 minutes remaining: Collingwood 4.12.36 v GWS 8.8.56

Jack Buckley and Xavier O’Halloran combine to get the Giants to halfway with a clean exit. That’s where it ends as Darcy Cameron steals it back at the next contest but Jamie Elliott’s attempted kick is an airswing. Doesn’t matter because Xavier O’Halloran fumbles twice to hand it back. Nick Daicos has returned to the field for the Pies but Brody Mihocek has they’ve given Callan Ward a free for one in the back.

Still no goals after 19 minutes in this quarter!

Q3. 11 minutes remaining: Collingwood 4.12.36 v GWS 8.8.56

Lachie Schultz has given away a free for heavy contract as Nick Daicos leaves the field for treatment. There’s vigorous rubbing of the thighs happening so could just be a cork. Meanwhile Scott Pendlebury gets rag-dolled. That’s a rare sight but the Giants swarm and have a shot. It misses. Tight contest now. Next goal is crucial.

Q3. 14 minutes remaining: Collingwood 4.12.36 v GWS 8.7.55

Lovely half volley pickup by Lachie Schultz gets Collingwood slingshotting back into enemy territory. Poor clearance by the Giants fails to go 15 and they send it over the boundary. Collingwood come again. Darcy Cameron wins it back from the throw-in but Nick Daicos is hobbling with a jammy back and is slow to the contest. Lachie Whitfield clears to Lachie Ash but there’s Magpies everywhere and they force the turnover. Steele Sidebottom swings free but Collingwood fans are watching Nick Daicos who is down again with that injury.

Updated

Q3. 17 minutes remaining: Collingwood 4.10.34 v GWS 8.7.55

Collingwood win the first clearance of the second half and Brody Mihocek bombs it long where Sam Taylor takes a beautiful intercept mark. Mihocek keeps charging downfield and manages to pressure a behind. More good play from the Pies now as they force a turnover on halfway and launch a fresh raid. It finishes in another point but brighter signs for fans of the black and white.

The Finn Callaghan v Nick Daicos battle has been decisive today. Each has 17 disposals but the silky-smooth wingman for the Giants has 392 metres to 69 from the star Magpie.

Callaghan was the Giant’s first pick in the 2021 Draft and the 21-year-old’s future in orange and charcoal has been secured recently with a new four-year deal making him a Giant until the end of the 2029 season. Right now it looks a canny move.

Daicos needs to burst his bubble in the second half or the Pies are cooked.

Kieren Briggs is en route to hospital in the back of an ambulance with that first quarter neck injury now being blamed on friendly fire. The good news is it appears the Giants ruckman is going to be ok. A sideline update from Eddie’s boy…

Updated

Q2. HALF TIME: Collingwood 4.8.32 v GWS 8.7.55

And BANG goes Toby Greene! A second goal within the minute slams the gate shut on the brief Collingwood comeback in that quarter. Again it was Finn Callaghan with the kick inside 50 and this time Greene scooped it up, surged into space, shrugged off a defender and split the big sticks. That one is going to hurt the Pies. They started that quarter well and got within a goal of the lead but again the Giants have goalled in quickfire clumps with three later majors to wrestle back the momentum.

Updated

Q2. 1 minutes remaining: Collingwood 4.8.32 v GWS 7.7.49

Jeremy Howe has been cleared of that HIA and is on the sideline being rubbed into a return. No such luck for Giants tyro Kieren Briggs who has sustained a neck injury that will rule him out for the game. The Giants have recovered brilliantly from that blow and now their late-quarter pressure has seen Finn Callaghan spears one into the square and Callan Ward soccers it home for his second!

Updated

Q2. 5 minutes remaining: Collingwood 4.8.32 v GWS 6.7.43

Pendlebury collars new boy James Leake and the youngster shrugs it off and pings a beautiful kick onto the chest of his captain. Nothing comes of it and instead Daicos is body slammed by Xavier O’Halloran. Darcy Moore’s high flying smother gets it back for the Pies but now Lachie Schultz has copped one in the back. He recovers but the orange wave is there in numbers and Callan Ward finishes the flurry of hand passes with a goal.

Updated

Q2. 9 minutes remaining: Collingwood 4.8.32 v GWS 5.6.36.

Darcy Cameron bombs it long but McReery can’t hang on and the Giants break free. Collingwood have numbers at the back though and Josh Daicos succumbs to the pressure. It’s a good move. They clear quickly and Brody Mihocek is impeded in the marking contest. He wins the whistle and duly goals. It’s game on at Engie Stadium!

Q2. 11 minutes remaining: Collingwood 3.8.26 v GWS 5.5.35.

Yowzer. Jeremy Moore has been coat-hangered attempting to mark. No penalty paid but surely he'll have an HIA after a collar like that. Instead we get a ball up and clearance by Collingwood. Good mark by Jack Crisp but they fumble the following play and Sam Taylor emerges from heavy traffic with a good mark. Moore is off for that HIA…

Q2. 13 minutes remaining: Collingwood 3.7.25 v GWS 5.4.34.

Early merchandising issues for the Giants as two guernseys get ripped in a mild skirmish between half a dozen testy players. Jamie Elliott uses the opportunity to mark cleanly and the small forward curls home another goal for the Pies. Here come Collingwood!

Updated

Q2. 16 minutes remaining: Collingwood 2.7.19 v GWS 5.4.34.

More rattled play from the Magpies as Beau McCreery burns and open goal and misses all four sticks from 55m out. A poor clearance from Giants gives Isaac Quaynor but he doesn’t go the distance and it’s a ball up. Bobby Hill gets battered in the skirmish but the Pies are locked in and Brayden Maynard marks and wins 50 for late contact. Easy goal for Collingwood and didn’t they need it?!

Updated

Q2. 18 minutes remaining: Collingwood 1.7.13 v GWS 5.4.34.

Poor start by the Pies as they crash into Aaron Cadman from the back and give up a free. He gets plenty of boot on it but sends it left. Josh Daicos clears to the pack and Beau McCreery explodes clear. His kick is a worm burner but Collingwood are inside 50 and a dervish of hand passes finally reaches Steele Sidebottom. The veteran’s left boot hits it sweetly but it curls left late.

Q1. QUARTER TIME: Collingwood 1.5.11 v GWS 5.3.33.

Strewth, Toby Greene has hit the post with second to go. That could’ve been disastrous for Collingwood who have sagged in the last five minutes as the Giants have surged. The Magpies get a chance to bounceback late as Josh Daicos spears one to Pendlebury in space. He hits Will Hoskin-Elliott who plays on into an open square… and misses.

Frustration starting to show now as players scuffle on the siren. And rightly so. After an even first 15 minutes the Giants bounced back from the loss of key ruckman Kieran Briggs and went berzerk in the final five to lay on three quick goals.

Updated

Q1. 2 minutes remaining: Collingwood 1.5.11 v GWS 5.2.32.

Two Giants goals in a minute! Finn Callaghan delivered the final pass for the last goal and now he’s surged onto a smart Toby Greene pass to kick one of his own! Three goals fro0m six kicks for GWS.

Updated

Q1. 3 minutes remaining: Collingwood 1.5.11 v GWS 3.2.20.

Good recovery from the Giants. They get clear as Nick Daicos is smashed by Stephen Coniglio. But oh no, Will Hoskin-Elliott has handed it straight back to the home side and Callum M. Brown has hit the ball at speed and jagged a right boot across it to nail a GOAL!

Updated

Q1. 5 minutes remaining: Collingwood 1.5.11 v GWS 2.2.14.

Terrible blow for the Giants as their No 1 ruckman Kieran Briggs has been hip and shouldered out of that last contest and hit the ground hard. Briggs is medi-cabbed from the field and Lachlan Keeffe has his instructions from the coach and is coming in hot. Here comes the salt in that wound. Lachie Schultz has a set shot from 35m out… but he’s pushed it wide.

Updated

Q1. 6 minutes remaining: Collingwood 1.4.10 v GWS 2.2.14.

Lovely Bobby Hill burst after some back and forth in the midfield. The kick is true and finds Beau McCreery skidding inside 50. But his radar is bung too and the Giants are spared again. Collingwood aren’t done yet. Josh Daicos cops one in the back and puts it forward at speed but again the Giants spoil as Darcy Cameron fumbles the mark.

Updated

Q1. 9 minutes remaining: Collingwood 1.3.9 v GWS 2.2.14.

Toby Greene misses a set shot and Collingwood chip it out of trouble via Reef McInnes but the next kick goes awry and the Giants swoop. Now it’s Max Gruzewski marks cleanly and gets his chance. but it’s an awful kick and is lucky to earn a score at all.

Q1. 11 minutes remaining: Collingwood 1.3.9 v GWS 2.1.13.

The Giants take the ball out of the middle and boom it forward where fast hands and a blur of sidesteps between Brent Daniels, Toby Bedford finds Xavier O’Halloran who kicks the home side’s second major.

Updated

Q1. 13 minutes remaining: Collingwood 1.2.8 v GWS 1.1.7.

Debutant James Leake gets his first shot at goal but puts it just wide. Now Collingwood counter and it’s Harry Perryman snapping from 30m out. He misses to the left. Sam Taylor wins a free after the Magpies bomb it over the boundary line with dubious intent.

Q1. 15 minutes remaining: Collingwood 1.1.7 v GWS 1.0.6.

Good work by Josh Daicos clears for Collingwood but Harry Perryman reefs it straight into the hands of his old team. No harm done as Lachie Schultz gets a shot from the boundary. It falls short but Bobby Hill gets there first and soccers it through for Collingwood’s first!

Updated

Q1. 17 minutes remaining: Collingwood 0.1.1 v GWS 1.0.6.

Here come Collingwood. Nick Daiucos won the clearance and Isaac Quaynor took the pass on his bootlaces before finding Darcy Cameron inside 50 who marks on the slide. It’s a gentle angle but he sprays it left.

Updated

Q1. 19 minutes remaining: Collingwood 0.0.0 v GWS 1.0.6.

The first centre clearance is won by Collingwood but Harry Perryman gets crash tackled into the turf by his old teammates. A not-so-warm welcome home to the former Giant! Sam Taylor cleans up and has won the free and has a set shot at his second career goal from 30m out…. he’s got it!

That’s Taylor’s first goal since round 10, 2019 and he’s forgotten how to celebrate!

Updated

Players are running out on an Engie Stadium bathed in Sydney sunshine.

The surface looks anything but green after a recent Green Day concert but Toby Greene doesn’t seem to mind.

Two-time Copeland Trophy winner Jack Crisp leads out the Magpies in his 250th game. It is the popular midfielder’s 238th consecutive match, second behind Jim Stynes’ famous run of 244 straight games.

Here come the Giants to their jaunty club song…

Updated

The Giants go into today’s game without three of their stars, with injuries to reigning Coleman Medallist Jesse Hogan (thumb), boom recruit Jake Stringer (hamstring), and midfielder Tom Green (calf) all to miss the season opener.

The good news is that they also have three stars back from injury in the form of the fit and firing skipper Toby Greene, and gun vice-captains Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio fit and firing.

The new face in the Giants lineup is Tasmanian-born teenager James Leake, a first-round draft pick from 2023 and under 18 All-Australian. The 188cm midfielder had an injury-interrupted maiden season at GWS but gets his debut game in the orange and charcoal this afternoon.

The 37-year-old Scott Pendlebury enters his 20th season in black and white in 2025. The two-time premiership player, five-time Copeland Trophy winner, and long-serving captain of the Magpies plays his 404th game for the Pies this arvo.

Can he mow down ‘Boomer’ Harvey this season?

Tim Membrey, 30, is the other new face lining up for Collingwood. The 188cm forward has joined the Pies after 179 games for St Kilda and arrives with 293 goals to his credit, making him the most prolific goal-kicker on Collingwood’s list in 2025.

Reef McInnes is set to play his first match in defence after impressing there in the pre-season. Standing 194cm, the 22-year-old performed strongly in Collingwood’s practice match victory over Richmond, collecting 14 disposals, five spoils and four intercepts.

Unfortunately dual All-Australian Dan Houston will have to wait another week to make his Collingwood debut as he serves a five-match suspension from Round 23, 2024.

Of course the Magpies will also be missing star midfielder Jordan De Goey against the Giants, with the 28-year-old ruled out on Tuesday with bone bruising.

The eyes of both sides’ supporters will be on Harry Perryman today.

The former Giant who played 129 games for GWS since joining them as pick #14 in the 2016 draft, was cut loose in 2024. The 26-year-old free agent promptly signed a very expensive six-year deal with Collingwood worth around $900,000 per season.

Despite finishing third in GWS’s 2020 Best and Fairest, the 187cm Perryman never quite nailed his midfielder role at the Giants. Clearly, Magpies mentor Craig McRae thinks he’s worth another shot.

If your scarf is still in the sheds and you haven’t got Dubbin on the Sherrin just yet, Jonathan Horn’s preview of the season in From the Pocket will get you up to snuff. Don’t forget to signup!

The Swans-Hawks game at the SCG was a ripper. If you missed it here’s how our own Joey Lynch called the action…

Preamble

G’day footy fans. Welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of today’s AFL blockbuster between Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney at Engie Stadium in Sydney on the land of the Wangal.

It’s been a tumultuous start to the season, with ex-Cyclone Alfred playing havoc with communities in Queensland and northern NSW and throwing Round One scheduling into turmoil. So far we have just one completed game, the showdown between the Sydney Swans and the ‘Hollywood’ Hawks, won by Hawthorn 14.12 (96) to 11.10 (76).

Of course, reigning premiers Brisbane and Geelong were due to open the season at the Gabba on Friday night but that game has now been postponed until round three. Also postponed was the Gold Coast v Essendon fixture, now rescheduled until round 24.

In Sydney the sun is shining for the Magpies and Giants, a fascinating matchup given the way both sides finished their seasons in 2024.

In the quest for their first premiership, the Giants fell agonisingly short again, pipped in the prelim by the Swans. Did their unique post-season “review” exorcise those demons or will the scars remain in 2025?

Collingwood’s 2024 was also a heartbreaker. The Pies started their title defence slowly, dropping three straight games from the get-go, but stormed home in the second half, only to finish ninth.

Interestingly, these sides met in Round One last year too and the result was a 32-point boilover victory to GWS by 18.6 (114) – 11.16 (82).

Can the Giants spring another ambush? Or will the Pies get their revenge?

We’ll find out with first bounce at 3.20pm.

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