Thursday‘s AFL Finals 2017 match is between Adelaide Crows and Greater Western Sydney Giants. The opening bounce is set to commence at 19:50 local time with the game to be played at Adelaide Oval. The home team Adelaide Crows are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Adelaide Crows and Greater Western Sydney Giants.
When: 19:50 | Thursday 7/9/2017
Where: Adelaide Oval
Watch: Fox Footy or ? Watch Online for FREE HERE on your? or ?.
Preview:
Realistically this game was too far away to make an accurate assessment of how these two teams will play each other. Current form is a better measure and shows that both teams struggled in Round 23.
The Giants were beaten convincingly by the Cats whilst the Crows were always going to have it tough travelling to Western Australia with the Eagles fighting for finals. Matt and Brad Crouch are in incredible form with 87 touches between them against the Eagles.
The Crows are the #1 points scoring team in the AFL and have weapons all over their forward line and an elite midfield that is given first use of the ball by ruckman Sam Jacobs who is ranked #1 in hit-outs per game.
This game will be won and lost in the ruck with the Giants ranked #2 for hit-outs to an equally elite midfield. For reference in their match-up earlier in the season the hit-outs were 43-31 in favour of the Giants. The Giants are also ranked #1 in the AFL for average clearances
FINAL SAY: The Crows at home will be too good. The Giants were overwhelmed in front of the hostile atmosphere of Simonds Stadium and they will encounter an arguably more vocal crowd in Adelaide.
Odds:
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Tip: Adelaide Crows at $1.55
Value BET: First Goal Scorer – Taylor Walker at $9.00
Teams:
CROWS 
B: R.Laird, D.Talia, L.Brown
HB: J.Kelly, K.Hartigan, D.Mackay
C: B.Smith, B.Crouch, R.Atkins
HF: T.Lynch, T.Walker, C.Cameron
F: E.Betts, J.Jenkins, M.McGovern
R: S.Jacobs, R.Douglas, M.Crouch
I/C: R.Knight, J.Lever, H.Greenwood, P.Seedsman
EMG: S.Thompson, A.Otten, W.Milera
IN: T.Walker, D.Talia, H.Greenwood
OUT: R.Sloane (Illness), A.Keath (Omitted), W.Milera (Omitted)
GIANTS 
B: A.Tomlinson, P.Davis, H.Shaw
HB: N.Wilson, A.Corr, B.Deledio
C: L.Whitfield, C.Ward, T.Scully
HF: J.Kelly, J.Cameron, R.Lobb
F: T.Greene, J.Patton, M.de Boer
R: S.Mumford, S.Coniglio, J.Hopper
I/C: N.Haynes, H.Himmelberg, Z.Williams, D.Shiel
EMG: T.Taranto, S.Johnson, H.Perryman
IN: M.de Boer, H.Himmelberg
OUT: S.Johnson (Omitted), D.Smith (Knee)
AFL News:
Adelaide vice-captain Rory Sloane and Greater Western Sydney forward Devon Smith will miss Thursday night’s AFL qualifying final because of injury.
GWS goalsneak Smith has been ruled out by a knee injury, while enigmatic veteran Stevie Johnson has been dropped.
Crows star Sloane, after undergoing appendix surgery on Tuesday last week, says the risk of further injury is too high to play the Adelaide Oval final.
Sloane’s injury-forced withdrawal is among three changes to Adelaide’s side from the last home-and-away match.
The Crows recalled captain Taylor Walker (toe), defender Daniel Talia (ankle) and Hugh Greenwood (rested).
Rookie backman Alex Keath and wingman Wayne Milera were dropped. They will be on the sidelines with Sloane, who risks hernia problems by returning too soon.
“The risk of doing some damage internally is probably a bit high,” Sloane told Triple M radio on Wednesday.
“That (hernia) is a potential risk; there’s a few risks … that internal strain can go on if I push it too early coming back.
“I haven’t quite healed as well as I would have liked.”
Sloane expected to be fit for Adelaide’s next final – either a semi-final next weekend, or a preliminary final in a fortnight.
The Giants made two changes – dumping Johnson, whose poor recent form had been compounded by a knee injury, and unable to pick Smith.
Ex-Docker Matt de Boer and Harrison Himmelberg were summoned as replacements.
Johnson has announced his retirement at season’s end but GWS coach Leon Cameron says the 34-year-old remains part of his September plans.
Instead of featuring in another AFL final, Johnson will play in a trial game between the Giants’ and Crows’ reserves sides on Friday in Adelaide.
“Where he sits over the past couple of weeks, his performances probably haven’t been to the level that they needed to be at,” Cameron told reporters.
“And he’s the first one to walk into the office and say ‘look, I haven’t been playing some great footy’.
“On top of that, we know we have had to juggle his injury with his knee.
“But … he will be participating somewhere along the line in September action.”
