GREATER Western Sydney will play their fourth game at Manuka Oval this weekend, while St Kilda are set to play on the ground for the first time since round eight, 2001.

The Giants have lost two and won one match at Manuka, the solitary victory coming in round seven last year against the Gold Coast by 27 points. This was the club’s first ever AFL victory and one of their two wins in 2012.

Toby Greene was prolific at the venue in 2012, enjoying the vast dimensions of Manuka Oval. (The ground is the fifth longest in the competition and the second widest)

Highest average disposals at Manuka Oval for GWS players (qualification 3 games):

T.Greene

29.0

L.Power

23.7      

T.Scully

19.0

 

Widest grounds in the AFL:

MCG

141m

Manuka Oval

138.4m

Gabba

138m

SCG

136m

 

St Kilda has won two of their last seven interstate matches. Three Saints midfielders have dominated the stats across this stretch of games.

 

Highest average disposals per game in last seven St Kilda interstate matches (qualification 6 games):

L.Montagna

24.3

N. Dal Santo

23.6      

D.Armitage

22.4

 

Expect a predominantly free flowing contest at Manuka Oval on Saturday. Both the Saints and Giants average less than 55 tackles per game so far this season.

Contrastingly, in 2012 St Kilda averaged 67.4 tackles per match, while GWS averaged 58.

 

Average tackles per match in 2013:

14. GWS

53

15. Adelaide

53         

16. St Kilda

52

17. Melbourne

44.5

18. Richmond

40.5

 

St Kilda and GWS both possess a raft of accumulating, inside midfielders that are adept at winning the ball in the clinches.

Average centre clearances per match in 2013:

1. Essendon

19.5

2. Hawthorn

18         

3. Bulldogs

16.5

4. GWS

15.5

5. St Kilda

15

 

Giants ball-winner Dylan Shielhas played only 14 AFL games, but this season has more clearances than Gary Ablett, Scott Pendlebury and Joel Selwood.

 

Most clearances in 2013 (total):

T.Liberatore

23

M.Priddis

22         

A.Swallow

18

J.Watson

16

R.O’Keefe

16

D.Shiel

14

 

While the sample size for the above statistics is quite small (just two rounds), it nevertheless conveys a trend of open, free flowing football. There are fewer stoppages this year than in 2012, and as a result less congestion around the ball.

Both St Kilda and GWS look at their best when they are willing to take the game on through the corridor and take risks. The Giants have been competitive in both games so far this year, while the Saints weren’t far away from toppling Richmond last Friday night in an engrossing spectacle at the MCG.

 

Last time they met:

Round 22, 2012

Etihad Stadium

St Kilda: 25.13 (163)

GWS: 5.5 (35)

Disposals: S.Dempster (29), T.Greene (34)

Goals: S.Milne (5), A.Treloar (2)

Attendance: 17,327

You can follow Tom Morris on Twitter: @tommorris32