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The Greater Western Sydney Giants have sent a message to the rest of the AFL, downing defending premiers Collingwood by 32 points in a comprehensive display in the final game of Opening Round.
The Giants were the better side all night, and they put the game beyond doubt with a four goal to none third term to get out to a 40-point break.
The Magpies narrowly won the final quarter, but Craig McRae's men were well beaten over the whole night going down 18.6 (114) to 11.16 (82) in a tough start for the black and white.
Earlier in the day, the Gold Coast Suns got the Damien Hardwick era off to a winning start with a 39-point victory over his old side Richmond at Carrara.
The Suns led by 61 points at half-time, but the Tigers produced a big comeback to get the lead back to 25 points early in the final quarter, before the Suns steadied to take the victory.
The Giants' superior efficiency in attack told the tale, with Callum Brown and Jesse Hogan combining for nine straight majors on Saturday night.
But it came at a cost when tough veteran Callan Ward was substituted out of the game at half-time with a right shoulder injury after falling on the joint under the weight of a Beau McCreery tackle.
Josh Kelly (32 touches, one goal), Tom Green (30 disposals, nine clearances, one goal) and Stephen Coniglio (28 possessions, four clearances, four goal assists) all shone in the GWS midfield, and Sam Taylor and Jack Buckley stood up in defence.
Brent Daniels (four goals) and former number one draft pick Aaron Cadman (two goals) also did well in support of Brown and Hogan up front.
Callum M. Brown (left)'s four first-half goals gave the Giants the lead over Collingwood.(Getty Images: AFL Photos/Michael Willson)
A hot start from Brown featured three goals from his first three kicks of the season and steered the Giants to an eight-point lead by the first break.
Ward was forced off the ground when he landed on his right shoulder a few minutes before half-time, and was replaced by Toby McMullin.
Brayden Maynard resumed his personal rivalry with Toby Greene and kept the GWS skipper relatively quiet.
But a brilliant Greene goal on the boundary line under pressure from Oleg Markov was the highlight of the third quarter, and he finished with four goal assists.
The Giants piled on four unanswered goals for the third term to take control as the lead ballooned to 40 points.
Collingwood have been the league's comeback kings over the past two years but there was no fairytale this time, despite the Magpies kicking four of the last five goals of the game.
Damien Hardwick had some nervous moments when his old side Richmond mounted a comeback, but his Suns finished things off for a win at Carrara.(Getty Images: AFL Photos/Dylan Burns)
Damien Hardwick has copped the full Gold Coast experience in a wildly fluctuating win against former club Richmond to begin his Suns era.
The Suns' 14.15 (99) to 9.6 (60) victory in front of a full house at home on Saturday was far from regulation — Gold Coast at one stage up by 67 points but facing anxious moments when the under-manned visitors reduced the gap to 23.
An off-the-ball 50-metre penalty and a controversial deliberate call on Nathan Broad created final-quarter Suns goals.
That helped ease the nerves for Hardwick, who won three flags as Tigers coach and has hopes of leading the Suns to their first finals campaign in their 14th season.
"The build up, the nerves, the nervousness, anxiousness, excitement … build up into one," Hardwick said of the week leading up to the game.
"What you're feeling is that inner turmoil. I was just pleased our fans and players could see the way we wanted to go about it.
"But we've still got a long way to go."
Matt Rowell had 20 clearances — the second most in AFL history — in 33 disposals, while Wil Powell had 28 important touches for the Suns.
"(Rowell) got to work … there's a level of expectation and Rowelly really led from the front," Hardwick said.
"He burrows through. Such a competitor … those sort of guys don't need a lot of prodding."
Re-live all the highlights below in our blog.
That's where we'll leave it
The orange half of Sydney had a very good night(Getty Images)
So there you have it, four games down in the 2024 season and Opening Round is done and dusted.
Hopefully that will have whetted everyone's appetite for round one, which begins on Thursday night at the MCG with Carlton vs Richmond, and ends three days later with the Dockers hosting the Lions in Perth on Sunday night.
We'll bring you all the action from that round to come, but until next time, I'm Andrew McGarry, thanking you for joining us on the blog for Opening Round.
Good night!
Callan Ward talks about his shoulder injury
The Giants' Callan Ward has spoken to Channel Seven after the game.
He hurt his shoulder when he was driven into the ground in a tackle, before being subbed out for Toby McMullin. He tells Seven he thinks it is a grade three injury.
Asked about surgery, he replied:
I have never had an injury like this before on my shoulder, pretty sure I won't need surgery and might be up to two months [out] let's see how it pulls up.
Ward, one of the inaugural co-captains of the Giants, is now on 296 games. He played 56 games for the Western Bulldogs before coming to GWS, and has now played 240 for the orange, charcoal and white.
Let's hope the injury isn't too serious and allows him to get back and get to 300 before season's end.
Opening Round brings some surprises
(AFL.com.au)
I'm not sure if you told me at the start of Opening Round that three of the home sides would win, if I would have picked Brisbane as the one to miss out.
That thriller at the Gabba on Friday night was the closest contest, but there were some surprises across this weekend.
Both teams that lost prelim finals in 2023 got the better of their conquerors, while Sydney showed a lot of promise with their win over the Demons, and the Suns will finish the round top of the table on percentage — although they could and probably should have won by more, given they led by 61 at half-time at Carrara.
The decision by the AFL to start the season up north was not very popular in Victoria, but the crowds have been strong and all four NSW and QLD-based teams showed enough to give their fans hope for a good year.
A big start to 2024 for the Giants
Full-time: GWS comfortable winners over Collingwood by 32 points
Brent Daniels had an impressive night with four goals in the win for the Giants(Getty Images)
That really was not in much doubt for most of the night. A late goal to Darcy Cameron meant the Magpies won the final quarter, five goals to four, but the home side dominated this one.
The jaunty strains of the Big Big Sound are echoing into the Sydney night, and Adam Kingsley and his men will be well pleased with their efforts. The one big negative will be the shoulder injury to Callum Ward, but kicking 18 goals on the defending premiers is a ripping start to the year.
It's not the end of the world for the Magpies, but they will have to bounce back quickly next week against the Swans at the MCG.
Brent Daniels gets a goal for the Giants
Q4, 4:20 remaining: The Giants answer back with a goal to Brent Daniels, who gets his fourth. It's back to 39 points.
Brayden Maynard kicks another for the Magpies
Q4, 5:00 remaining: Collingwood is putting a nicer sheen on the scoreboard, Brayden Maynard has kicked one from 50! The GWS fans send down a torrent of boos for the man who was handing out rough treatement to Toby Greene earlier.
Collingwood get two goals but it's still GWS
Q4, 6:43 remaining: Collingwood get one back through Brodie Mihocek who has had a good game. But there is little celebration by the visitors.
They then get another through a set shot from Bobby Hill. That was a good long kick, and it brings the margin back to 39 points, but it's not going to change the game here.
This is getting ugly - another goal for GWS
Q4, 12:38 remaining: The Giants are in again! This time it's Brent Daniels who gets the goal. It's 52 points!
The Collingwood supporters are looking dejected in the crowd. This wasn't the way they hoped to start the year.
Callum Brown kicks his fifth! GWS lead by 46
Q4, 13:55 remaining: Dare we bring up the Orange Tsunami here? It's been a belter of a performance by GWS, and they come clear again, Stephen Coniglio seems to have all the time in the world to kick and find Callum Brown deep in the right forward pocket.
He's kicking from 45, going for his fifth - and that never looked like missing!! Brown has his bag of five, the Giants are up by 46, and there is plenty of time to push the lead out further.
Jesse Hogan answers quickly for GWS
Q4, 16:22 remaining: The answer is a clear NO. The Giants bounce right back, get the ball down the corridor to Jesse Hogan, and the GWS spearhead marks in front and kicks straight once again for his fourth. It's back out to 40 again.
Mihocek gets one back for Collingwood
Q4: 17:19 remaining: The Magpies HAD to get the first goal of the final term to have any chance, and they've got it.
Isaac Quaynor kicked long to the square from outside 50, and Brodie Mihocek ended up kicking the goal that gets the Pies back to 34 points. Can they get another one?
Three quarter-time: GWS in control, leading the Magpies by 40
That was another impressive quarter by the Giants. Four goals to none, control of the ball, forcing Collingwood to attack under pressure - the Magpies haven't been on all night, and now they need seven unanswered goals in the final quarter. It looks unlikely right now.
Josh Kelly adds another for GWS
Q3, 1:16 remaining: The Giants keep on coming here. They have the advantage across the ground, and they make the better choices. this time it's Josh Kelly who eneds up with the mark on 50, and he goes back and sends it through.
It's a 41-point lead, and Collingwood coach Craig McRae is cutting a rather subdued figure on the sidelines.
Celebration time for GWS
The Giants have kicked three goals without reply in the third term (Getty Images)
Giants go six goals clear!
Q3, 6:26 remaining: The Giants are outplaying the Magpies here. They have a defensive wall across the middle of the ground, and the Pies are just kicking wildly and struggling to get it clear.
The latest effort gets chopped off by Nick Haynes, he roosts it inside 50, it comes off hands, eventually falls to Aaron Cadman, and the key forward snaps another to get the Giants out to a 36-point lead! Alarm bells for Collingwood.
Giants skipper Toby Greene kicks a beauty to put GWS clear
Q3, 9:40 remaining: The difference between the two sides has been the finishing, and GWS has just shown it in spades.
The Giants go down the right wing, and Toby Greene grabs it and goes for a run, full pace down the boundary being chased by Oleg Markov. he cuts inside, and kicks a right foot banana ... and it goes THROUGH!! Brilliance from Greene, and the Giants are flying, 29 points clear.
Pies miss another chance
Q3, 10:46 remaining: Collingwood has not been at its best in attack tonight, but they just had another chance. They forced a turnover on the wing, then quickly turned it into attack, and new recruit Lachie Schultz took the mark and then had a shot for goal.
He missed, and the lead is still 23 points.
Hogan kicks his third for the Giants
Q3, 12:06 remaining: The Giants make them pay! Excellent movement from GWS, they find Jesse Hogan, who continues his solid form tonight kicking his third of the night to clear the Giants out to a 24-point lead!
Football's a tough life
Q3, 13:38 remaining: Crowds aren't slow to let footballers know when they're having a tough night. Mason Cox took a mark in the centre of the ground, and the crowd let loose a chorus of Bronx cheers for his first touch of the game!
Then late in attack, Josh daicos picked out Jamie Elliott with a beautiful pass, but the Pies' forward missed to make it 18 points the gap.
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