Season over for Swans after sensational Giants comeback
GWS have stormed home to stun the Swans and end their Sydney rivals' finals hopes. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP
GWS have turned on a third-quarter blitz to secure a sensational 44-point comeback win and drive the dagger into bitter rivals Sydney's finals hopes.
Down by 35 points before the main break at Engie Stadium, the Giants needed the first goal when play resumed to keep their bid for a top-four finish alive.
Adam Kingsley's side got that when young gun Finn Callaghan answered the call with a dash down the corridor, setting up a 15.12 (102) to 8.10 (58) win on Friday night.
So dominant were GWS after early strife that they kicked eight straight goals - nine in total - in the third quarter for a 23-point lead at the final change.
The home side had kicked just three majors in the opening half.
Snaring their first win in six derbies, the Giants have effectively ended their cross-town rivals' campaign to muscle into finals contention.
The in-form outfit move to fifth (13-6) with their sixth consecutive win, while Sydney languish in 10th (9-10) ahead of the weekend's clashes.
A serious head knock to Hayden McLean further soured the loss, the Swans forward stretchered off in the opening minute.
Sydney then lost defender Joel Hamling (hamstring) in the third quarter, while Giants veteran Josh Kelly's night ended prematurely with a calf complaint.
Callaghan and Tom Green were sensational for the Giants at the contest, as captain Toby Greene proved their firestarter in a fierce battle with Swans livewire Tom Papley.
Greene had issued an ominous warning at halftime after Papley celebrated his first major on return from a hamstring injury by making a beeline for the Giants forward.
"He's (Papley) looking overweight," Greene told Fox Footy at halftime.
"Let's see how he goes in the second half."
Greene also had a pre-first-bounce tussle with Swans defender Dane Rampe before giving away a free kick for an arm to Isaac Heeney's head.
Aaron Cadman and Jake Stringer slotted three majors each, as defenders Harry Himmelberg and Lachie Ash got in on the goalscoring action with one apiece.
Errol Gulden led the Swans with 32 disposals, while Will Hayward was commanding in attack with three-straight majors in the opening half.
Sydney started the better side after finding composure following McLean's injury.
He clashed heads with Giants defender Jack Buckley in a marking contest.
Buckley had been pushed into McLean when Giants teammate Sam Taylor entered the contest and attempted to spoil the mark while wrestling with Swans player Jack Buller.
Play was delayed for six minutes as a conscious McLean left the field on a medicab, with Aaron Francis coming into the game in his place.
Sydney then kicked six straight goals to take a 28-point lead at halftime, before Greene issued his Orange Tsunami warning.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
3 hours ago
- The Australian
Joe Lacey steals show as Sydney FC defeats Wrexham
Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac may not have been in attendance on Tuesday night, but 40,242 punters got a glimpse of a future star, as teenager Joe Lacey stole the show in the Sky Blues' 2-1 over AFC Wrexham. Lacey, 18, stunned everybody in attendance when he scored the decisive goal after curling a low shot past Wrexham keeper Callum Burton in the 74th minute of play. 'To be fair, I don't even think I really saw it,' Lacey said of his goal against the Welsh glamour club. 'I just put my hands into the air as soon as I heard the crowd. 'I've been at the club a long time and had a lot of my mates on the pitch alongside me. 'I'm very grateful for the opportunity... yeah, I'm just buzzing.' Sure, it was a pre-season friendly, but with the visitors competing in the English second tier this upcoming season, and Sydney playing the final half hour with an outfield composed entirely of academy players, the result really felt like a serious boilover. Oh, and did we mention the Sky Blues' marquee man, Douglas Costa, didn't even play? Initially, things looked to be going to script for visitors, who scored after 18 minutes when Sydney midfielder Corey Hollman helped James McClean's free kick into the home side's net. However, Alexandar Popovic struck a blow for the locals when he buried a Jordan Courtney Perkins header that had initially been parried by Danny Ward just before the break. The goal came just moments after Sydney FC was denied what appeared to be a certain penalty after a Hollman shot made contact with Lewis Brunt's arm in the 18-yard box. Probably the most surreal moment of the match occurred in the 60th minute, when both teams simultaneously made a combined 19 substitutions (10 by Wrexham and nine by Sydney). This would prove crucial, as Lacey and his merry band of youngsters out 'fairytaled' British football's fairy tale team. Rather appropriately, the winning goal was an absolute showstopper, which started deep in Sydney FC territory. Matthew Scarcella got the move started when he made a long pass to teammate Akel Akon. Thinking quickly, Akon squared the ball to Lacey, who struck it perfectly from just outside the box. Ironically, Lacey has Welsh heritage and has family living in the country. 'Before the game, I didn't know how much pull they [Wrexham] had in Australia,' he said. 'I knew they had a documentary and I've got family in Wales and they've told me about it.' Wrexham will now travel to Wellington to take on the Phoenix on Saturday, while Sydney turns its attention to its Australia Cup opener against Western United on 29 July. Football England have secured back-to-back Women's Euro titles after edging Spain in a penalty shootout thriller, with veteran defender Lucy Bronze going to extraordinary lengths all tournament. Football Lionel Messi is reportedly upset by the decision by Major League Soccer to ban him from Inter Miami's next game after he skipped the All-Star weekend at the last minute.
The Australian
3 hours ago
- The Australian
Giants netball licence: Mounties Group deal could transform club
The likely sale of the Giants' Super Netball licence has been described as an opportunity to 'super charge' the club. Discussions are continuing behind the scenes between current owners of the licence, Netball NSW and the Mounties Group about a change of hands, with the possibility that the deal could be done in time for the 2026 season. Netball NSW last week confirmed it was 'exploring the proposal' of an external party about the club's Super Netball licence after an unsolicited approach, with the powerful Mounties Group later confirmed to be the body interested in taking over the club. A preliminary case has already been presented at Netball Australia board level, with the national body needing to approve any licence transfer but there remain significant details to iron out before any deal goes ahead. Sources confirmed to Code Sports that there was no timeline on the deal, with the possibility that it could linger into next season if that was the time needed to iron out the finer details in an agreement that could transform the Giants into a Super Netball powerhouse. That's likely to work for both sides given any change is due to a genuine desire from Mounties to continue its investment in women's sport rather than any fire sale of the licence. Code Sports has confirmed the Giants are not in any danger of falling over should the deal not proceed, with the club not under any financial pressure, or looking to be offloaded by Netball NSW. The state body holds the licence for both the New South Wales Super Netball sides – the long-established Swifts and the Giants, who were formed ahead of the launch of the elite competition in 2017. And moves to transfer the Giants licence have only come about because of the unexpected Mounties approach, with rumours of the demise of the club wide of the mark. The body's annual report showed it made a small profit last year and while running a Super Netball club is no small undertaking, operating both the Swifts and Giants is something that Netball NSW is managing well financially. In short, this is no Collingwood Magpies situation. Player reviews and contracting for the 2026 season are ongoing and it's business as usual for all organisational operations. Any change to the licence would need Netball Australia board approval but the Mounties approach is being seriously considered and Code Sports understands there is broad alignment on key terms. The approach is being seen though as an opportunity for both the Giants and women's sport in the southwest Sydney region. 'Sport is one of the most powerful tools we have to improve lives and build communities,' Mounties Group CEO Dale Hunt said of the organisation with more than 280,000 members. 'We believe women's sport represents the next frontier for growth in Australia. 'Whether it's netball or rugby, or anything in between, we are committed to investing in women's sport with a long-term view. 'This is about more than sport. It's about community, representation, and building stronger futures.' Mounties launched NSW Premier League club South West Mounties Magic in 2023 in a partnership between the group's health and wellbeing offering, Mounties Care and Liverpool City Netball Association, giving a pathway for players from U6 to state league in the southwest Sydney area. And Mounties' ownership of the Giants would provide a seamless pathway to Super Netball level, as well as a growing supporter base, the thing the club has struggled for most in its first nine years in the competition. While the GWS Giants are not owners, it's understood the AFL club is keen to remain involved with the Super Netball side after forming a strategic partnership with Netball NSW ahead of the foundation season in 2017. The Giants lent their name, colours and logo to the new entity in a bid to help gain traction in a market in which Sydney rivals the Swifts already had significant roots and while the Mounties also have a strong brand, already holding a Netball NSW Premier League licence, with the South West Mounties Magic winning the premiership in 2024 in their inaugural season. Mounties Group also has a partnership with the Canberra Raiders to support and grow women's rugby league pathways, with alignment between the Raiders' NRLW program and the Mounties' NSW Women's Premiership League team. Netball Super Netball's eliminated teams must confront harsh truths about their failed campaigns. But there is a road back to the top. We assess what's next for the six teams to miss the grand final. Netball From big-name recruits and runaway premiership favourites at the start of the year to a crushing prelim-final defeat, things turned very ugly for the Swifts. So how did it all fall apart?
The Australian
3 hours ago
- The Australian
Tszyu's loyal cutman Mark Gambin ready for Fundora rematch in Vegas
Mark Gambin is going back to the scene of the crime. And it's no exaggeration that it did look like a grizzly crime scene by the time Tim Tszyu walked out of the ring a bloody mess after his razor-thin split decision defeat to Sebastian Fundora last year. Gambin was the cut man that night, and the Sydneysider received intense criticism for his inability to stem the bleeding from the worst gash seen in professional boxing last year. So if there's anyone – other than Tszyu – who could be forgiven for wanting a personal redemption arc this weekend, it's Gambin, who flew out to Las Vegas on Monday night and will once again work the corner. But Gambin's response when asked about making things right on a personal level speaks volumes. Tszyu needed a miracle to stop the bleeding. Picture:It tells you everything you need to know about why Tszyu didn't rush into making wholesale changes to his team like much of the boxing world was urging him to last year. 'I can't wait to get in there and make sure everything's right for Tim and for him to get the win,' Gambin told Code Sports. 'I just want to get in there and rip in and work hard as a team for Tim. 'That's the most exciting part about it, just getting in and getting the win for Tim.' It's not about him, it's about the fighter. Which isn't very common in the cutthroat world of professional boxing. There were some incredibly dark moments for Gambin after the first Fundora fight. As the pile on hit and he became the scapegoat for the first loss of Tszyu's career, he deleted all his social media accounts. He had originally planned on spending a few days in Vegas after the fight, but left Sin City early, driving to Los Angeles and flying out the very next day. As Tszyu prepares for his rematch with Fundora at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this weekend, Gambin still doesn't want any of the spotlight. Tszyu and Gambin have worked together for years. Picture: Supplied 'That was a tough night for him, and he would've felt it the most out of anyone,' he said. 'We all would've had our little sad times when we got home, but he would've felt it the most. 'And we all understand that too. 'He's the athlete, he's the reason we're all flying to Las Vegas.' There were calls from at home and abroad for Tszyu to immediately ditch his team following the Fundora bloodbath. But after working with the same small crew for most of his 27 fight career, making wholesale changes was never an option. Gambin missed Tszyu's defeat to Bakhram Murtazaliev when he needed an emergency appendectomy at the start of fight week and wasn't allowed to travel to Orlando. It sparked speculation that he'd been dumped from the team, but he was back on deck for Tszyu demolition of Joey Spencer in April, when he had remarkably little to do. 'It's also for me to thank him and make sure that he knows that I can cover anything he needs in that corner,' Gambin said. 'That's what I want to show him. Tim Tszyu with cutman Mark Gambin (L) and trainer Igor Goloubev (R). Picture: Supplied 'When we did Joey Spencer, I think Tim felt really good with the team around him, and we sort've just want to pay him back and make it so that he knows that we've all got his back.' As for any changes he's made, Gambin says he might need to pay for extra baggage after doubling up on everything in his fight night kit bag. 'Whatever I had before, I've now got two of,' he laughed. 'It's just about being completely ready – not that we weren't last time – but it puts it in perspective. 'If I had one packet of gauze, I've now got two packets. If I had five ampoules of adrenaline, now I've got 10. 'So my bag's getting pretty big, but I know I can do my job, mate. 'That was a freak night and it'll probably never happen again in the history of boxing. Touch wood. 'The majority of people wouldn't have stopped that cut. Actually, no one would've stopped it. 'You've just gotta cop it. I was there, no one else was there, and it was just a fountain. It wasn't a cut, it was a fountain, so it wasn't getting stopped.' Read related topics: Greens Brendan Bradford Content producer Brendan Bradford is a sports writer for CODE Sports. He primarily covers combat sports, league, union, cycling and athletics. Brendan has worked in sports media for a decade, covering world title fights, World Cups, Grand Slams and Spring Tours. @1bbradfo Brendan Bradford
