1. Dogs fans love a good road trip
This game was played at Spotless Stadium, but if you closed your eyes you'd think you were smack bang in the middle of Footscray, with the Dogs' supporter base out in force. The Giants were booed onto the ground for the warm-up, with former Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen given a hostile reception when he was introduced on the big screen pre-match. The orange army made their presence felt once the game commenced, but it was strange to see opposition fans outnumber that of the home side, especially on such a big occasion. 21,790 fans packed the stadium to create a brilliant atmosphere, proving the League's decision to stage the game on the Giants' home deck was the right one.

Full match coverage and stats

2. Clay Smith proves tougher than steel
The gutsy Bulldog has shown moments of quality in his short career, but while three knee reconstructions have constantly stalled his progression, the second half of Smith's season has been outstanding. The 23-year-old kicked four first half goals against the Giants, from 15 possessions, and finished the night with 26 touches, eight tackles, and placed plenty of pressure on the home side's defenders. What made his performance even more meritorious was the fact that Smith lost a close mate in a car accident mid-week, and played against the Giants wearing a black armband as a tribute. One of the great footy stories.

GAMEBREAKER: Watch Clay Smith's huge first half

3. Ryan Griffen won a split decision in the 2014 Trade Cup
When their captain walked out on the Dogs at the end of the 2014 season, they went after the Giants' former No.1 draft pick, and lured him home with plenty of cash. Griffen hasn't set he world on fire in Sydney but has been a great pickup for the young club, while Tom Boyd has come on in small spurts, showing a glimpse of what he's capable of. In a hard–fought final the more experienced Griffen was serviceable with 18 disposals, three tackles, and three inside 50s, and at times hurt the Dogs with his run and carry. Boyd shouldered most of the ruck load once Jordan Roughead went down in the first quarter, and while he battled hard to win 21 hitouts and 14 possessions, the former Dog took the bout on points by a slim margin. 

Every Bulldog rated

4. These two teams are the competition's next great rivalry
The Griffen-Boyd situation added the spice, and with Giants coach Leon Cameron, co-captain Callan Ward, and Sam Reid all former Bulldogs, there's stories aplenty for the these two sides. Add in the amount of sensational young talent on both lists, and GWS and the Dogs look set to be rivals for years to come, especially when September kicks in. Marcus Bontempelli, Stephen Coniglio, Caleb Daniel and Dylan Shiel are future superstars of the game, and their support cast is littered with class and top-end talent. Both teams play an exciting, hard-nosed brand of footy, which gives fans value for money, and has them clambering for more each and every week. With two young coaches in Cameron and his good mate Luke Beveridge in charge, the scene is set, and the rest of us get to sit back and watch it unfold.

Every Giant rated

5. The Dogs performed a miracle to win without Roughead
He's not their biggest name, nor their most important player, but when Jordan Roughead copped a painful falcon in the right eye in the first term, and was ruled out of the game, GWS big man Shane Mumford took over. The Bulldogs had the advantage up until that point, but with Tom Boyd and Zaine Cordy forced to ruck for the rest of the game, the Giants onballers imposed themselves on the contest. Boyd and Cordy battled hard, but against a seasoned veteran in Shane Mumford, they just couldn't match his intensity. GWS lost Callan Ward after a shocking head knock, but their enormous midfield depth, and extra days rest, allowed them to cover the absence of the star midfielder.