Friday Night Redemption: Eagles Eye Revenge on Wounded Giants
It’s Friday night footy at Optus Stadium, and there’s a real buzz in the air as the West Coast Eagles prepare to host the GWS Giants in what shapes up to be a telling Round 17 clash. For Eagles fans, this one means more than just four points — it’s a chance to respond after being comprehensively dismantled by the Giants back in Round 4. That day at Engie Stadium ended in an 81-point drubbing, with Jesse Hogan kicking a monstrous nine goals and making life incredibly tough for young Sandy Brock on debut.
But a lot has changed since then. This time, Hogan’s out with injury, as is Giants veteran Lachie Whitfield. For West Coast, there’s cautious optimism — a window to strike, even if just to show how far this developing squad has come. Young gun Malakai Champion will make his AFL debut, adding spark up forward and becoming the fifth player from last year’s draft class to earn his stripes in 2025. He’ll do it in front of a home crowd and during the club’s NAIDOC Week celebration, wearing the Indigenous jumper that marked the only win of the season so far — a special moment that could make this debut even more memorable.
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Matt Flynn, once a Giant, now stands tall for West Coast and will face his former club for the first time. It’s a personal challenge, but one he’ll relish. With Briggs back in the ruck for GWS, it’s a battle that could shape the midfield contest.
Brady Hough will be another one to watch. Fresh off a career-best 27 disposals against Collingwood, he’s likely to be matched up on Finn Callaghan, who’s quietly becoming one of the Giants’ most influential mids. If Hough can nullify Callaghan while continuing to find plenty of the ball himself, he might just give West Coast the platform they need to compete across four quarters.
Make no mistake, the Eagles are still the underdogs here. But there’s something stirring in this young group — a determination to build resilience, to play bold footy, and to turn heartbreak into hunger. They’ve lost key leaders like Jeremy McGovern to retirement and Jake Waterman to injury, but they’re leaning into their youth, into their future.
West Coast has actually won 7 of their last 10 against GWS, and while the past few seasons haven’t been kind, that record speaks to a rivalry that’s rarely one-sided. With Jesse Hogan sidelined and a boisterous home crowd ready to lift their side under the lights, there’s genuine reason to believe an upset could be brewing.
The stage is set. A wounded GWS, a rebuilding West Coast, and a Friday night moment to remember. Let’s see if the Eagles can soar again.
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