Greater Western Sydney–Western Bulldogs rivalry explained

GWS Giants–Western Bulldogs rivalry
Team1logo:AFL_GWS_Icon.jpg
Team2logo:AFL_Footscray_Icon.jpg
Total:19
Alltimerecord: WBD, 12–7
Regularseason: WBD, 11–6
Postseason:Tie, 1–1
Largestvictory: GWS, 82 points
Longeststreak: WBD, 5 games
Currentstreak: WBD, 1 game
Section Header:Finals Results
Section Info:

The Greater Western Sydney Giants–Western Bulldogs rivalry is an Australian Rules football (AFL) rivalry between the Greater Western Sydney Giants and the Western Bulldogs.[1] [2]

Prominent moments in the clubs' rivalry included in the 2014 AFL season, when Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen and Giants number one draft pick Tom Boyd were exchanged in a trade deal,[3] [4] and when the two teams met in the 2016 AFL first preliminary final, regarded the best AFL game of the 2010s by Channel 7.[5]

History

Early years

The Greater Western Sydney Giants were created in 2012 as the competition's 18th active club. The Giants played their first premiership match against the Bulldogs in round 5 in Canberra.[6]

Following the 2014 season, Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen sensationally requested a trade to the Giants.[7] Griffen was widely regarded as the club's best player and had only been captain for one season. He later cited the stress of captaincy as his reason for nearly giving up the game altogether. The Bulldogs responded by luring the Giants' number-one draft pick, first-year key forward Tom Boyd, on a 7-year deal worth $7 million. Griffen and Boyd were ultimately exchanged in the same trade deal.[8]

Finals rivals (2016–2019)

At the conclusion of the 2016 AFL season, Greater Western Sydney finished fourth on the ladder and the Western Bulldogs had finished seventh. The two teams met in the 2016 AFL First Preliminary Final at Spotless Stadium, in which the Bulldogs were attempting to make their first AFL grand final appearance in 55 years while the Giants were attempting to reach the grand final for the first time in their fifth season in the AFL.

Two goals to each side saw the Bulldogs lead by two points at the quarter-time break. The Bulldogs then kicked four goals to three in the second quarter, during which two players suffered game-ending injuries: Bulldogs ruckman Jordan Roughead, who had a ball kicked in his face, and Giants co-captain Callan Ward, who was accidentally kneed in the head by Zaine Cordy. At half-time, the Bulldogs led by nine points. Three minutes into the third quarter, Rory Lobb kicked a goal for the Giants to bring the margin back to one point, before a rushed behind brought the scores level at 41. However, Tory Dickson kicked a goal shortly after to give his side back the lead; another goal to Lobb and one to Jonathan Patton saw the Giants open up an eleven-point lead, before late goals to Marcus Bontempelli and Caleb Daniel saw the Giants' lead reduced to one point at three-quarter-time. Two goals to the Giants to start the final quarter saw them take a 14-point lead, the biggest by any side during the match, before goals to Dickson, Bontempelli and Cordy saw the Bulldogs reclaim the lead. Shortly after, Patton would kick a goal for the Giants and, with less than five minutes remaining, scores were tied at 82 points apiece. Jack Macrae, who to that point of the season had only kicked one goal, was then paid a mark inside the Bulldogs' forward 50 despite a late spoil from Nick Haynes; he then kicked the match's final goal and despite some desperation from the Giants, the Bulldogs hung on to win by six points. The match was considered one of the best of the decade.[5] The Bulldogs progressed to and won the 2016 AFL Grand Final the following week against the Sydney Swans.

In round 21, 2017, Giants small forward Toby Greene collected Bulldog Luke Dahlhaus in the face with his foot while flying for a mark. Greene avoided suspension for the incident, but was suspended for two matches suspension for punching Caleb Daniel's head the same year.

The Giants finished the 2019 season 6th with thirteen wins and the Bulldogs would finish 7th with twelve wins.[9] They faced each other in a fierce and at times violent contest in the second elimination final, Greater Western Sydney winning by 58 points to progress to a semi-final and end the Bulldogs' season.[10] In that game, the Giants and Bulldogs engaged in on-field fights, with GWS attacking Western Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli. Bontempelli escaped with a $7500 fine and was charged with serious misconduct for injuring Nick Haynes. Bontempelli was left with bruises around his right eye, and the Bulldogs players were privately fuming. Western Bulldogs players wished they had known that Greater Western Sydney antagonist Toby Greene targeted Marcus Bontempelli's face during an ugly scuffle which typified this year's heated elimination final. A host of Bulldogs, including Patrick Lipinski and teenagers Rhylee West and Bailey Smith, were in the vicinity when Greene grabbed at Bontempelli's face and then pulled his hair while at the bottom of a pack.[11]

The bad blood from the elimination final persisted into round 3 of the 2020 AFL Season[12] [13] [14] where The Giants turned sent Nick Haynes out for the coin toss instead of captain Stephen Coniglio to meet with Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli, who fractured Haynes’ larynx the previous year.[15] [16] The two teams engaged in constant melees throughout a match leaving 15 players cited by the AFL Match Review Panel with fines totalling $7750.[17] The Bulldogs won by 24 points at Marvel Stadium.[18] [19] [20]

2021–present

In the final round of the 2023 AFL season, the Giants and Bulldogs were in indirect competition for the final spot in the finals. After the Bulldogs defeated the Geelong Cats on the Saturday night, Greater Western Sydney needed to draw with or beat Carlton to qualify and knock the Bulldogs out. The Giants succeeded, beating Carlton by 32 points. [21] [22]

Head-to-head

|- style=";background:#ccf;font-size: 110%" | | Year| Date|Timeslot| | Home Team| | Away Team| | Ground| Crowd| Result/Winner||||- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"| 1| style="text-align: center;"|2012 |28/4|Sat, 1:45pm|5| Greater Western Sydney| 9.8 (62)| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 15.14 (104)| rowspan="3" | Manuka Oval| 9,128| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 42! W| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+1|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"| 2| style="text-align: center;"|2013| 6/7| Sat 1:45pm| 15| Greater Western Sydney| 12.11 (83)| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"|13.9 (87)| 7,132| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 4! W| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+2|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|3| rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|2014| 12/4| Sat 4:40pm| 4| Greater Western Sydney| 12.11 (83)| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"|17.8 (110)| 7,863| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 27! L| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+3|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|4| 31/8| Sun 4:40pm| 23| Western Bulldogs| 15.19 (109)| style="background:#cfc;"| Greater Western Sydney| style="background:#cfc;"|18.7 (115)| rowspan="2"|Docklands Stadium| 14,725| style="background:orange; color:white; border: solid #36454F 2px; text-align:center;" |Greater Western Sydney! 6! L| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+2|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|5| style="text-align: center;"|2015| 30/5| Sat 4:35pm| 9| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 16.17 (113)| Greater Western Sydney| 11.2 (68)| 16,395| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 45! L| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+3|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|6| rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"| 2016 | 22/5| Sun 3:20pm| 9| style="background:#cfc;"| Greater Western Sydney| style="background:#cfc;"| 15.8 (98)| Western Bulldogs| 10.13 (73)| rowspan="2"| Sydney Showground Stadium| 9,621| style="background:orange; color:white; border: solid #36454F 2px; text-align:center;" |Greater Western Sydney! 25! W| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+2|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|7| 24/9| Sat 5:15pm| style="background:gold" | | Greater Western Sydney| 12.11 (83)| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 13.11 (89)| 21,790| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 6! L| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+3|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|8| rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"| 2017| 28/4| Fri 7:50pm| 6| style="background:#cfc;"| Greater Western Sydney| style="background:#cfc;"| 11.9 (75)| Western Bulldogs| 9.19 (73)| Manuka Oval| 14,048| style="background:orange; color:white; border: solid #36454F 2px; text-align:center;" |Greater Western Sydney! 2! W| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+2|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|9| 11/8| Fri 7:50pm| 21| Western Bulldogs| 7.15 (57)| style="background:#cfc;"| Greater Western Sydney| style="background:#cfc;"|16.9 (105)| Docklands Stadium| 30,672| style="background:orange; color:white; border: solid #36454F 2px; text-align:center;" |Greater Western Sydney! 48! W| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+1|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|10| style="text-align: center;"| 2018| 25/3| Sun 1:10pm| 1| style="background:#cfc;"| Greater Western Sydney| style="background:#cfc;"| 20.13 (133)| Western Bulldogs| 7.9 (51)| Manuka Oval| 10,454| style="background:orange; color:white; border: solid #36454F 2px; text-align:center;" |Greater Western Sydney! 82! –! 0|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|11| rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"| 2019| 18/8| Sun 3:20pm| 22| Greater Western Sydney| 9.11 (65)| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 19.12 (126)| rowspan="2"| Sydney Showground Stadium| 10,139| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 61! L| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+1|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|12| 7/9| Sat 3:20pm| style="background:gold" | | style="background:#cfc;"| Greater Western Sydney| style="background:#cfc;"| 16.17 (113)| Western Bulldogs| 8.7 (55)| 19,218| style="background:orange; color:white; border: solid #36454F 2px; text-align:center;" |Greater Western Sydney! 58! W! 0|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|13| style="text-align: center;"| 2020| 19/6| Fri 7:50pm| 3| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 8.9 (57)| Greater Western Sydney| 4.9 (33)| Docklands Stadium| 0| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 24! L| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+1|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|14| style="text-align: center;"| 2021| 23/4| Fri 7:50pm| 6| Greater Western Sydney| 9.11 (65)| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 15.14 (104)| Manuka Oval| 10,064| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 39! W| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+2|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|15| style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2"| 2022| 18/6| Sat 7:25pm| 14| Greater Western Sydney| 16.9 (105)| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 19.11 (125)| Sydney Showground Stadium| 6,208| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 20! W| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+3|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|16| 13/8| Sat 1:45| 22| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 9.8 (62)| Greater Western Sydney| 8.9 (57)| Docklands Stadium| 18,301| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 5! W| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+4|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|17| style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2"| 2023| 6/5| Sat 7:30pm| 8| Greater Western Sydney| 10.11 (71)| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 13.8 (86)| Manuka Oval| 10,039| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 15! W| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+5|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|18| 29/6| Sat 1:45pm| 20| Western Bulldogs| 10.13 (73)| style="background:#cfc;"| Greater Western Sydney| style="background:#cfc;"| 11.12 (78)| Eureka Stadium| 9,080| style="background:orange; color:white; border: solid #36454F 2px; text-align:center;" |Greater Western Sydney! 5! L| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+4|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|19| style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2"| 2024| 18/5| Sat 4:35pm| 10| Greater Western Sydney| 6.7 (43)| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 8.22 (70)| Sydney Showground Stadium| 7,747| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 27! L| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+5|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"|20| 25/8| Sun 12:30pm| 24| style="background:#cfc;"| Western Bulldogs| style="background:#cfc;"| 14.14 (98)| Greater Western Sydney| 9.7 (61)| Eureka Stadium| 10,224| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |Western Bulldogs! 37! W| style="background:blue; color:white; border: solid red 2px; text-align:center;" |+6|} Crowds impacted by COVID-19

Common individuals

Players

The following players have played for both the Giants and the Bulldogs in their careers:

Others

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Why Dogs don't dig Giants: Six key moments behind a nasty new-age rivalry. 2021-12-10. afl.com.au. 19 June 2020 . en.
  2. Web site: Connolly. Rohan. 2017-04-26. GWS v Western Bulldogs: A newer rivalry with a ring of authenticity. 2021-12-10. The Age. en.
  3. Web site: 'It's just on the whole time': How the Giants-Dogs rivalry got so hot. 2021-12-10. afl.com.au. 23 April 2021 . en.
  4. Web site: 2021-04-22. The fiercest rivalry in the AFL: Bulldogs, GWS' history. 2021-12-10. The West Australian. en.
  5. 7afl. 1167955123647070208. Game of the Decade. 2021-11-24. Twitter. en.
  6. Web site: On this Day: The beginning of a Giant rivalry. 2021-11-24. westernbulldogs.com.au. 28 April 2020 . en.
  7. Web site: Bulldog bombshell: skipper Ryan Griffen requests trade to GWS . 2022-08-24 . afl.com.au . 9 October 2014 . en.
  8. Web site: Griffen and Boyd swap places in blockbuster trade . 2022-08-24 . afl.com.au . 15 October 2014 . en.
  9. Web site: AFL Ladder 2019 Round 23 - FinalSiren.com . 2021-11-28 . finalsiren.com.
  10. Web site: ROUND 22 REPORT: Dogs into top eight after Giant win. 2021-11-25. westernbulldogs.com.au. 18 August 2019 . en.
  11. Web site: Forsaith. Rob. 2021-04-19. Giants play it cool, AFL rivalry reignites. 2021-12-10. The Canberra Times. en-AU.
  12. Web site: Robinson. Mark. 18 June 2020. GWS Giants still have retribution in mind ahead of Round 3 clash with Western Bulldogs, Marcus Bontempelli. Herald Sun.
  13. Web site: Cameron challenges Giants to rise to task against rival Bulldogs. 2021-12-10. afl.com.au. 16 June 2020 . en.
  14. Web site: Williams. Rebecca. 17 June 2020. Western Bulldogs bracing for more physicality from GWS Giants in first meeting since elimination final. AFL.com.au.
  15. Web site: 'It was strange': AFL world divided over 'childish' act. 2021-11-25. au.sports.yahoo.com. 20 June 2020 . en-AU.
  16. Web site: Giants poised for AFL test with rival Dogs - Nine Wide World of Sports. 2021-12-10. wwos.nine.com.au. 16 June 2020 . en.
  17. Web site: 2020-06-22. Giants called 'babies' as AFL greats slam 'rubbish' tactic in Bulldogs loss. 2021-11-24. Fox Sports. en.
  18. Web site: Round 3 2020 Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants - FinalSiren.com. 2021-11-24. finalsiren.com.
  19. Web site: 2020-06-16. Giants poised for AFL test with rival Dogs. 2021-12-10. 7NEWS. en.
  20. Web site: Dogs get revenge as fiery brawl erupts. 2021-12-10. wwos.nine.com.au. 19 June 2020 . en.
  21. Web site: 2023-08-27. Shape of the eight: Giants secure finals spot as match-ups decided. 2022-08-27. afl.com.au. en.
  22. News: Giants seal September spot, fall just short of home final. 2023-08-27. afl.com.au. 2023-08-27.