Giants' finals surge gives ACT fans reason to believe as GWS eyes September

The GWS Giants are starting to look like a genuine finals contender again.

Sunday's 28-point victory over Geelong at Manuka Oval, the Giants' third win in four weeks, moved them into the top six on the AFL ladder with six rounds remaining in the home-and-away season. For a club that started the year with three losses from its first four games, the turnaround has been sharp.

Canberra's adopted AFL side has long carried a reputation for peaking early. But this year feels different. The Giants held the Cats to just nine goals in front of 12,400 fans at Manuka, a ground where they've now won five of their past six games dating back to last season. It's the kind of form that travels, too: GWS has won four of its past five interstate matches, including victories over Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs.

Why this matters for Canberra

For a city that has no standalone AFL team, the Giants have become the de facto local side. The club plays three home games a season in Canberra, two at Manuka and one at StarTrack Oval in the inner south, and its academy draws heavily from the ACT and Riverina regions.

That connection is more than sentimental. The Giants' list includes six players from the Canberra region, including key forward Jesse Hogan (from the Queanbeyan Tigers junior system) and defender Connor Idun (a product of the GWS Academy in the ACT). The club's community camp in February drew more than 3,000 fans to Ainslie Football Club, one of the biggest turnouts for any AFL club's regional visit this year.

With Canberra's winter sport calendar dominated by the Brumbies' Super Rugby campaign and National Rugby League matches at GIO Stadium, the Giants' push for September gives the capital a rare shot at sustained AFL relevance late in the year.

Numbers that back the belief

The Giants' underlying metrics are solid. They rank fourth in the AFL for points against per game (74.2) and sixth for contested possessions, according to league data. Their midfield, led by Tom Green and Josh Kelly, has won the clearance count in seven of the past nine games.

But the most telling stat might be their record against top-eight sides. GWS has beaten Collingwood, Port Adelaide and now Geelong this season, all currently inside the top eight. Their only loss to a fellow finals contender came against Sydney in Round 10, and only by eight points.

What's more, the Giants have the third-easiest remaining draw of any top-eight team, based on opponent win percentages. They face only two current top-four sides, Brisbane and Melbourne, in the run home.

That schedule includes a return trip to Manuka in Round 22, when they host the Gold Coast Suns. If the Giants keep winning, that game could carry significant finals seeding implications. Tickets for that match went on sale Monday, with the club expecting a near-capacity crowd of 14,000.

Coach Adam Kingsley, in his second season, has been measured in public statements about the team's trajectory. Privately, sources close to the club say the playing group believes it can match any side when its pressure game is on.

Canberra fans will get their next chance to see the Giants in action in three weeks' time. If the form holds, September at Manuka might not be wishful thinking.