GREATER Western Sydney's ability to add a brutal stoppage game to its arsenal over the past eight weeks has it rivalling Carlton as statistically the strongest midfield of the preliminary final teams. 

A comparison of all four onball units, ranking them by the most important midfield indicators, shows the Giants' group does not have a weakness over the lead-in period to Friday night's blockbuster MCG final. 

And they have the best three midfielders in the game over that period, with Tom Green, Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly all exceeding their rivals' best, according to Champion Data's player ratings.  

It has been a crucial ingredient in the Giants' 6-2 form line since round 19, with coach Adam Kingsley identifying their new scoring power from stoppages as the team's 'plan B' when their turnover game is not allowed to flourish. 

"We're adding the stoppage game, which makes us even more of a threat," Kingsley said after the Giants kicked nine goals from stoppages against Port Adelaide last Saturday night.  

"We've got to be able to adjust to what the opposition throw at us. If they are able to shut down the 'A plan' and the way we want to play, we've got to have something to lean on.

"I feel like we've seen that in terms of the stoppage game. Plan B is you might be able to defend our turnover, but now we can lean on our stoppage a little bit." 

While all boast exceptional midfield talent, Collingwood, Brisbane and Carlton all have at least one area of weakness in the middle of the ground over the past eight weeks. 

For the Magpies, it is contested ball and generating forward entries, Brisbane's midfield pressure is being exceeded by opponents, and the powerful Carlton midfield is generating fewer hitouts to advantage while contributing to effective 'end-to-end' ball movement less than its remaining rivals.  

Where the midfield is concerned, the Giants have no obvious weakness.  

The Western Bulldogs in 2016 were the last premiers to take a 5-3 form line into a preliminary final and emerge triumphant, with the Magpies, who were the best team of the home and away season but lost some of their sharpness late, aiming to do that on Friday night. 

The Lions and Giants come in with 6-2 records, like West Coast did in 2018, while Carlton's 7-1 record matches the triumphant Tigers form lines in 2017 and 2020.

When it comes to the players who will drive their teams from the midfield, Green's form over eight weeks has no rival. Since returning to the team in round 21, Green has averaged 34.5 disposals, 7.0 clearances, 17.3 contested possessions and 5.7 inside 50s. 

His player ratings average over that period of 19.4 far exceeds the most in-form midfielders at each of Carlton, Collingwood and Brisbane, and that's before you look at the depth of top performers in the GWS midfield.  

The incredibly balanced Collingwood and Brisbane teams are deserving favourites ahead of Friday and Saturday night's blockbuster finals, with the added advantage of a week off to freshen up. 

If the midfield battles hold the key though, their underdog rivals have good reason to bring confidence into a pair of mouth-watering preliminary finals.