Greater Western Sydney’s much-improved clearance work has the Giants midfield firing in the early part of the season, but defender Greg Broughton believes Gold Coast’s ability to win the hard footy will prove too much for the visitors in Saturday night’s clash at Metricon Stadium. 

So far this season the SUNS have amassed a league-best 772 contested possessions, a total of 36 more hard-ball gets than their expansion rivals from south of the border.

While the Giants pride themselves as clearance chiefs with a total of 221 - just four less than competition leader Richmond - Guy McKenna’s elite on-ball division has also stamped it’s mark in the stoppage warzone, having won the Sherrin 214 times in the five matches played so far. 

Led by perennial All-Australian clearance winner, Gary Ablett, and gun midfield tyros Dion Prestia and Jaeger O’Meara, Broughton says the Giants’ promising ball magnets can expect to play through increased Queensland heat around the ruck contest. 

“It is an area we pride ourselves on; we’re a clearance team as well so we’ll take it up to them and hopefully we can get on top and get it inside our forward 50 and lock it in there,” Broughton said.

Similar to Gold Coast, the Giants opted for short-term pain in favour of sustained long-term success, stockpiling first-round draft picks and young AFL campaigners with the potential to push in to the elite level, including the likes of Callan Ward, Rhys Palmer and Tom Scully. 

Having kept a close eye on the Giants’ improvement and development in their first two seasons, Broughton believes the upstart kids from Spotless Stadium are on the right track.

“They have got a good squad these days and have recruited really well,” Broughton said.

“They are really starting to challenge sides for four quarters so it’s not going to be an easy game for us.

“We have to bring effort for four quarters and hopefully, if we do that, we’ll be in the game to win the four points.”

As revealed in the Courier Mail this morning, Gold Coast have joined the chorus of AFL rivals bidding to host a regular Good Friday fixture when the AFL does flag the green light on the religious holiday, with CEO Travis Auld advocating a possible expansion clash with Greater Western Sydney at Metricon Stadium.

Broughton welcomed the Good Friday concept. 

“There was a bit of talking about having it here in the not-too-distant future. It would be a good rivalry between the two young clubs going at it.

“There is a growth towards that (Good Friday match) for the Queensland and Sydney-based clubs to have it on that day.”