GWS lock in AFL finals berth with win over Carlton

Aug 27, 2023, 07:03 AM ET

GWS captain Toby Greene has suggested Jacob Weitering “might be in trouble” for making contact near his eye region during the Giants’ crucial 32-point win over Carlton.

Greene kicked four goals in the Giants’ 16.9 (105) to 11.7 (73) victory on Sunday at Marvel Stadium, which secured their finals berth at the expense of the Western Bulldogs.

The margin wasn’t quite great enough for GWS to earn a home final as they finished seventh on percentage behind St Kilda, who they will face in an elimination final in Melbourne.

Only 0.7 per cent separated the sides after 24 home-and-away rounds.

Carlton, who celebrated Charlie Curnow securing a second straight Coleman Medal, were locked in to finish fifth regardless of the result and will host Sydney in their knockout final.

But they will sweat on the availability of key defender Weitering, while Blake Acres has a nervous wait for scans on his shoulder injury.

Weitering attempted to pull Greene off Blues teammate Mitch McGovern when the pair tangled moments before half-time.

Replays showed he made contact with his fingers near Greene’s left eye.

Greene missed the Giants’ 2019 preliminary final win over Collingwood after receiving a one-match suspension over a similar incident involving Brisbane’s Lachie Neale.

Toby Greene of the Giants celebrates a goal. Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“He might be in trouble,” Greene said of Weitering on Fox Footy.

“I think I got in trouble for that, so we’ll see how he goes.

“I was hoping for a free kick. That’s fine.”

Carlton coach Michael Voss told reporters after the match he had not seen the incident but was confident Weitering would be free to play in the Blues’ first final.

Greene was one of the Giants’ best in a win that secured a finals berth in Adam Kingsley’s first season as coach.

Former skipper Stephen Coniglio celebrated his 200th game with two goals from 28 disposals and Tom Green (35 disposals, eight clearances), Josh Kelly (27 touches) and Lachie Whitfield (32) also had a major influence.

Jake Riccardi (three goals) kicked the first two in the Giants’ four-goal run late in the third quarter, which broke the game open.

The Giants briefly edged ahead of St Kilda on percentage when Greene nailed his fourth major midway through the final quarter but had to settle for seventh spot.

“We’re glad we made finals. That was our priority, whether that was at home or away,” Kingsley said.

“We had the opportunity but we can’t be too greedy.”

Carlton midfielders Sam Walsh (27 disposals, seven clearances) and Adam Cerra (23, six) made seamless returns from hamstring injuries, while Acres racked up 21 touches in a strong showing before being substituted midway through the third term.

Curnow kicked two first-quarter goals to move past Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker in the Coleman Medal standings.

The Blues’ spearhead finished with three to take his career-best season tally to 78.

But GWS were well served by defender Jack Buckley, who kept Curnow relatively quiet after quarter-time in the absence of Sam Taylor, a late withdrawal with a hamstring injury.

The result ended Carlton’s nine-match winning streak but they will go into their first finals series in a decade full of confidence after turning around a season that looked gone at the halfway point.

“It’s a strange feeling to lose and still win,” Voss said.

“We’ll certainly reflect on how this game played out. We can’t ignore the evidence that’s there and we’ll go to work on that.

“But to come into the game and know that we had a position locked away … it’s a significant achievement from where we were to where we are.”