Contrary to expectations, the Giants won by 36 points at Stadium Australia, advancing directly to the preliminary final.

[3][4] Meanwhile, the Western Bulldogs had finished seventh with 15 wins and 7 losses following a season in which several key players suffered serious injuries, among them captain Robert Murphy,[5] midfielder Mitch Wallis and forward Jack Redpath,[6] while they were also without forward Stewart Crameri who was serving a season-long suspension for his role in his former club Essendon's controversial sports supplements program during the 2012 AFL season.

The two teams met only once during the regular season, in round nine, with Greater Western Sydney winning by 25 points.

[12] In the lead-up to the game, there had been some controversy over the AFL's decision to play the match at Spotless Stadium due to its relatively small capacity.

[13] During the course of the week, several thousands of Bulldogs fans travelled up the Hume Highway from Melbourne to Sydney in cars and buses to attend the match.

[1] The Bulldogs then kicked four goals to three in the second quarter, during which two players suffered game-ending injuries: Bulldogs ruckman Jordan Roughead, who had a ball kicked in his face, and Giants co-captain Callan Ward, who was accidentally kneed in the head by Zaine Cordy.

[1] Three minutes into the third quarter, Rory Lobb kicked a goal for the Giants to bring the margin back to one point, before a rushed behind brought the scores level at 41–apiece.

Jack Macrae, who to that point of the season had only kicked one goal, was then paid a mark inside the Bulldogs' forward 50 despite a late spoil from Nick Haynes; he then kicked the match's final goal and despite some desperation from the Giants, the Bulldogs would ultimately hang on to win by six points.

[1] By winning, the Western Bulldogs progressed to the 2016 AFL Grand Final the following week against the Sydney Swans.