3 minute read

Racing and Sports will provide analysis of games in the 2024 AFL Season.

We'll endeavour to run through the form, incorporate appropriate stats and also supply a betting prediction which won't always just be who will win.

GWS v COLLINGWOOD

Saturday 9 March @ Giants Stadium

Maybe the most fascinating of the first four games is the other Preliminary Final replay.

One point separated them at the MCG last September. Many would say that one point was not fair. Perhaps it should have been a margin the other way.

Hard not to be impressed with the way the Giants came home like a train in 2023. Just marking time until Round 12, they won 9 of the last 11 before Finals then the first two of them as well.

Something clicked for Adam Kingsley. His methods, his voice or his plans must have married up. The Giants not only started winning but kept winning away from home as well. No ground was foreign to them.

And so like Carlton with 4 wins to half way, they got into an Elimination Final and were stiff not to play in the big one.

That honour went to Collingwood who had a vastly differing seasonal flow. Sitting 16-2 mid-July it was almost by how far.

Then the Daicos injury occurs, a bad month follows and were the Colly-wobbles appearing? September rolled around and the wins came back BUT only by slivers.

To win three finals by a combined 12 points is either great composure or sheer luck. Can't see them giving them back though!

They will gain the Daicos class back in full swing now and add Lachie Schultz which is an upgrade but lose Daniel McStay after doing his ACL before the year ended.

You probably wouldn't have marked that down as critical previously but he did give them some focal point.

For this game, what needs to be registered is while Collingwood has won the last 3 times they've played, the MCG has been the venue for them all.

The last 3 trips to Giants Stadium have been wins, albeit close to the Orange Tsunami. And GWS surely won't be giving De Goey as much room to move this time.

Going for a turnover of the Prelim result here. It won't mean much to the GWS faithful but it's better than losing.

Match Selection: GWS by 17 points

Suggested Bets: GWS 1-39 @ $2.20