Live AFL 2023, Greater Western Sydney Giants v Essendon Bombers, Round 23: Live scores, updates, stats, video, stream, result, news, blog

It’s seasons on the line when the Giants and Essendon face off from Western Sydney, with a top eight spot up for grabs.

GWS (11-10, 98.6%) regain small forwards Brent Daniels and Toby Bedford as Adam Kingsley’s side will look to bounce back from its 51-point loss to Port Adelaide last weekend.

The Bombers (11-10, 99.1%) have only just edged past West Coast and North Melbourne in recent weeks, so face their first proper test in some time as Jake Stringer and Sam Draper return.

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This match gets underway at 4.35pm AEST from Giants Stadium.

Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504) from 4.30pm AEST.

QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORT

Essendon made a big late change with star Jake Stringer dropped from the starting line up to be named sub, while Jye Caldwell came in.

But it was GWS’ inclusion in Brent Daniels that got the first goal of the match as he got front and square to snap truly from 30m.

It took just minutes for the Bombers to level scores through Kyle Langford, but that’s where Essendon’s joy would end.

The Giants were efficient in attack as Jesse Hogan put the early body work on Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and converted.

When Toby Greene found space and set sail for home with an unguarded goal square, it was GWS with the “bright start”.

“You can’t just let Toby Greene roll around all alone 55m out from goal,” commentator David King said.

“He made that look easy,” Jason Dunstall added.

The lead pushed out to 20 points when more sloppy Bombers marking allowed Toby Bedford to cash in.

“They need to compose themselves the Bombers,” King said.

“They are just being outworked at the minute.”

When Jake Riccardi was allowed a free jump at the footy, he nailed his set shot from outside the arc in worrying signs for Essendon.

“Alarm bells ringing everywhere here – they are just too tough for the Bombers,” King lamented.

“Essendon can’t get their uncontested mark game going.

“They are being disarmed in a lot of ways here.

“When the charge starts, they can’t go with the Giants.”

Bedford had his second goal from a brilliant snap and Stephen Coniglio made Dyson Heppell pay for a simple turnover as Essendon’s season looked to slip away.

By quarter time, it was the Giants leading 45 to 6.

When Lachie Ash picked up where GWS left off in the first term, King slammed the efforts of the Bombers.

“They’ve been made look like a very average football team right now,” he said.

Describing it as a “one-sided contest”, Dunstall was disappointed with what Essendon coughed up in their must-win match as the lead pushed out to 53 points.

“This is just inexcusable,” he said.

“They are not putting anywhere near enough pressure on the Giants.

“It’s just too easy.”

Bombers sub Jake Stringer was injected into the contest in his 100th match for the club when Matt Guelfi went off with a hamstring complaint.

But the margin continued to grow and at half time, it was the Giants leading 83-13.

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