Take a look at our comprehensive preview of Essendon's clash with Greater Western Sydney on Friday night.

ESSENDON v GWS

Friday, August 7
7:50pm AEST
Metricon Stadium
Live on Channel 7

THE HISTORY

Games played - 10
Won – 6
Lost – 4

FIVE FACTS

1. Four ex-Giants to don the sash

The Bombers will field four of their five ex-Giants on Friday night, with Dylan Shiel, Jacob Townsend, Devon Smith and James Stewart taking on their old side. Andrew Phillips, who has been named as an emergency, is the only one missing in the group. Shiel, Townsend and Smith were part of the Giants' foundation squad, while Stewart arrived later in the year with pick No.27 in the 2012 national draft.

2. Efficiency the name of the game

The Bombers bettered the Lions in inside 50s (42-37) last week, but couldn't make it show on the scoreboard, conjuring just three goals - their lowest output of the season. It's a different story for the Giants, who are the best team in the competition for converting an inside 50 to a score. Despite having just 31 inside 50s per game - ranked 18th - they are converting heavily from limited opportunities and have multiple threats in the air through Jeremy Cameron, Jeremy Finlayson and Harry Himmelberg.

3. Control possession, control the game

The Bombers struggled to get their hands on the footy last week, beaten comprehensively in disposals (248-317) and marks (41-99). They can ill-afford a repeat against the Giants, who play a possession-based style and rely on a methodical build-up. Ranked fourth for uncontested possessions and fourth for time in possession, the Giants will try to slow down the Bombers and prevent speedsters Adam Saad and Conor McKenna rebounding off half-back. If the Bombers can rediscover their pressure and limit the Giants' space, it'll go a long way to avoiding a repeat of last week.

4. Giants' tall order

Despite fielding two ruckmen last week for the first time this season, the Bombers had just three players over 194cm to the Giants' seven. Those numbers will stay the same this week as Shaun McKernan replaces Tom Bellchambers and Shane Mumford replaces Sam Jacobs. Forecast rain for Friday evening could negate the Giants' aerial advantage and aid the Bombers, however, who will back their pressure, tackling and ground-ball work as we saw in wet conditions against the Magpies in round five.

5. Bombers lose experience

The Bombers will again feature a youthful line-up in the continued absences of All Australians Dyson Heppell, Cale Hooker, Jake Stringer and Joe Daniher. They'll have seven players with less than 50 games of experience and six over 100, while the Giants will have six and 10 respectively. Second-gamer Sam Draper (21) will be the youngest to shoulder the ruck load across the competition this round, coming up against the oldest ruckman in Mumford (34). 

LAST TIME WE MET

Round 15, 2019: Essendon 12.5 (77) defeated GWS 10.11 (71) at Marvel Stadium

A win for the ages.

Trailing by 19 points early in the final term, the Dons kicked five of the last six goals in a grandstand finish to avenge their round one defeat to the Giants.

Cale Hooker was the hero in a final-term switch from defence to attack, kicking the match-winning goal with just 30 seconds left.

Entering the clash at 6-7 and losing Tom Bellchambers early in proceedings to a calf injury, the Bombers showed incredible spirit to keep their finals hopes alive.

They went on to win their next four in a season-defining streak, losing just once between rounds 11 and 19.

FORM

Essendon
Round seven: Lost to Western Bulldogs 7.9 (51) to 14.9 (93) at Metricon Stadium
Round eight: Defeated Adelaide 9.8 (62) to 8.11 (59) at Adelaide Oval
Round nine: Lost to Brisbane 3.10 (28) to 14.7 (91) at Metricon Stadium

Last week was one to forget for the Bombers, who kicked their lowest score and suffered their biggest defeat of the season at the hands of a slick Brisbane.

The loss saw them drop out of the eight and their percentage fall to 88, capping off a rollercoaster July and a 2-2 start to life in the Gold Coast hub.

Encouragingly, the Bombers are yet to suffer consecutive losses in 2020 and will back themselves to respond and stay in touch with the top eight.

Friday night's match will mark the first of three in 10 days, further testing their depth in a line-up already missing Dyson Heppell, Jake Stringer, Orazio Fantasia, Joe Daniher and Cale Hooker.

GWS
Round seven: Lost to Brisbane 10.8 (68) to 13.10 (88) at GIANTS Stadium
Round eight: Defeated Richmond 9.8 (62) to 6.14 (50) at GIANTS Stadium
Round nine: Defeated Gold Coast 9.7 (61) to 4.11 (35) at Metricon Stadium

After a slow start to the season, the Giants have found their groove to move back into the top eight.

They're the only side that has managed to knock off the high-flying Tigers in the past five rounds, and will be gunning for three consecutive wins for the first time this season.

Their task will be made harder without star forward Toby Greene and the competition's No.1 tagger Matt De Boer, who were casualties in the win over the Suns, but they've regained former captain Callan Ward.

Coming off a challenging month that has pitted them against top-four sides Port Adelaide, Brisbane and Richmond, the Giants have held their own to re-establish themselves as a premiership threat.

TEAMS

ESSENDON

Backs: Aaron Francis, Michael Hurley, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher
Half-backs: Jordan Ridley, Conor McKenna, Adam Saad
Centre: Tom Cutler, Darcy Parish, Matt Guelfi
Half-forwards: Will Snelling, Jacob Townsend, David Zaharakis
Forwards: Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Shaun McKernan, Kyle Langford
Followers: Sam Draper, Zach Merrett, Andrew McGrath
Interchange: James Stewart, Mason Redman, Devon Smith, Dylan Shiel
Emergencies: Brayden Ham, Dylan Clarke, Martin Gleeson, Andrew Phillips

In: Langford, McKenna, McKernan, Guelfi

Out: Cahill (omitted), Ham (omitted), Gleeson (omitted), Bellchambers (managed)

GWS

Backs: Heath Shaw, Phil Davis, Aidan Corr
Half-backs: Nick Haynes, Lachlan Keeffe, Zac Williams
Centre: Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio, Harry Perryman
Half-forwards: Josh Kelly, Harry Himmelberg, Brent Daniels
Forwards: Jeremy Finlayson, Jeremy Cameron, Callan Ward
Followers: Shane Mumford, Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper 
Interchange: Jye Caldwell, Lachie Ash, Zac Langdon, Xavier O’Halloran
Emergencies: Jackson Hately, Bobby Hill, Matt Flynn, Jack Buckley

In: Ward, Mumford, O'Halloran

Out: Jacobs (managed), Greene (hamstring), De Boer (hamstring)

New: Xavier O'Halloran (Western Jets)

BOMBER TO WATCH

Will Snelling

With likely wet conditions and the ball spending more time on the ground, expect the diminutive and tough Snelling to shine.

The second-year Bomber, who turned 23 on Thursday, thrives on contested ball and pressure, ranked 10th in the competition for tackles per game and ninth for tackles inside 50 per game.

He was one of the standouts in driving rain in the win over Collingwood in round five, and will look for a similar output on Friday night as he splits his time between midfield and forward.

DANGEROUS OPPONENT

Jeremy Cameron

The jewel in the crown of the Giants' three-pronged tall forward combo, Cameron will again have Essendon's defenders on high alert.

Averaging three goals a game against the Bombers, the reigning Coleman medallist has been the leading goalkicker in the past two clashes between these sides.

He is the Giants' No.1 target inside 50, leads his side for goals and score involvements, and will be relied upon even more without the injured Toby Greene.

Expect Michael Hurley to go straight to Cameron in arguably the most crucial match-up of the night.

Greater Western Sydney had trailed by 29 points when it sparked its dramatic fightback on Friday night, gradually reducing Essendon's significant advantage before finishing with a late barrage to secure an all-important four-point win.

The Giants kicked six of the game's final seven goals to storm home at Metricon Stadium, retaining their spot in the top-eight with a crucial 8.11 (59) to 8.7 (55) victory.

Stephen Coniglio (26 disposals, one goal) and Tim Taranto (32 disposals, four clearances) were the key factors in the dramatic GWS turnaround, which displayed the type of mettle that catapulted the AFL's newest expansion side to the Grand Final last September.

But it was far from routine. Zach Merrett (33 disposals, five marks) had inspired a short-lived Essendon rout after quarter-time, with the Bombers breaking the deadlock of a goalless opening term with seven of the next eight majors to soar into a commanding lead.

However, just as the momentum appeared to be one-sided, the ledger tipped the other way. Rain arrived after the main change, and so did a rush of Giants goals.

Six straight saw GWS claim an unlikely lead and, while Adam Saad's major with just seconds remaining ensured the tense finale that a seesawing contest like this one deserved, the Giants ultimately held firm. And held their spot in the top eight.

Dons forward line cops another blow

Add another incredibly unfortunate name to the growing injury list within Essendon's forward line. Just minutes into Friday night's clash, promising recruit Jacob Townsend was forced from the field after copping a brutal high hit from Heath Shaw following an unavoidable collision. Townsend was bleeding from his nose and mouth as he groggily made his way from the ground, sitting out the remainder of the contest with a concussion. Early signs would suggest he would be likely miss the club's upcoming Wednesday night clash with Gold Coast, joining fellow potential goalkickers in Joe Daniher, Orazio Fantasia, Cale Hooker, Harrison Jones, Jayden Laverde and Jake Stringer on the sidelines.

Breaking all sorts of not-so-good records

If the first quarter was frustrating to watch for supporters, it would have been just as frustrating for the neutral. With both sides playing safe, risk-free and slow footy, the AFL witnessed its lowest-scoring first quarter since Geelong and Footscray combined for just one behind in round one, 1965. In slippery conditions due to pre-match rain, neither side could kick a major until Stephen Coniglio eventually put through a set-shot in the game's 25th minute. Instead, they fumbled, scrapped, huffed and puffed to just two behinds each. Fortunately, the game soon came to life. But perhaps unfortunately for the Giants, as Coniglio's goal sparked a run of five consecutive Bombers majors before half-time that built the foundations for their commanding early lead.

Unusual forward options give Giants life

Who'd have thought that Heath Shaw would end Friday night as a multiple goalkicker? Meanwhile, who could have predicted that Phil Davis would finish the contest as Greater Western Sydney's main marking target? It was an unusual attacking setup, but it proved effective for Leon Cameron. Both of Shaw's goals came as a result of good fortune, with the veteran defender pushing forward and timing his moments. However, Davis was more of a planned tactical switch. He partnered Jeremy Cameron inside 50 to start the second half, as the Giants lacked options having fallen 22 points down at the main break. His strong mark led directly to Jeremy Finlayson's goal, but his impact waned after a knee injury that forced him from the field for several minutes just prior to three-quarter time. 

ESSENDON                                     0.2     6.3     7.5    8.7 (55)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY     0.2     2.5     4.7    8.11 (59) 

GOALS
Essendon: Langford 2, Zaharakis, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Shiel, McKenna, Draper, Saad

Greater Western Sydney: Shaw 2, Cameron 2, Coniglio, Finlayson, Himmelberg, Ward

BEST
Essendon: Merrett, Ridley, Saad, Hurley, McGrath, Langford

Greater Western Sydney: Coniglio, Taranto, Whitfield, Haynes, Kelly, Shaw

INJURIES

Essendon: Townsend (concussion), Ridley (shoulder)

Greater Western Sydney: Davis (knee)