GWS Giants’ perfect response to AFL embarrassment

Just one week after putting on an insipid performance against the Hawks, the Giants have notched a win over premiership fancies Melbourne.

The win sees the Giants leapfrog Richmond into the eight. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The GWS Giants pulled of a season-defining heist on premiership favourites Melbourne by nine-points to give themselves a chance of sitting inside the top-eight at the end of the round.

Just six days after the side’s insipid performance against the struggling Hawks, the Giants’ midfield proved far too strong and deep for the Demons and gave them a bath in clearances, with Toby Greene adding the polish up forward.

Simon Goodwin and Melbourne have some serious scoring problems which need to be ironed out if they are to seriously challenge at the pointy end, failing to kick 10 goals for a third straight game.

The Giants’ win was soured when GWS lost Jack Buckley just five minutes into the contest with a horror knee injury.

The likely ACL looks set to sideline the emerging talent for a long period of time.

But despite the blow, the Giants were able to make the most of a dominant first half on the back of a stingy defensive effort.

As good as GWS’ defensive performance was, particularly in the second quarter when the side’s pressure went through the roof, Melbourne’s lacklustre attacking potency will be a worry for Simon Goodwin.

In their last two games, the Dees had only managed scores of 68 and 63 and their woes continued in the first half as the competition pace setters only mustered three goals to the Giants’ six.

Once again, the problems for Melbourne started around the ball with contested possession and clearance.

The Giants monstered the Dees 18-12 in clearances in the first half and if it wasn’t for Christian Petracca steadying the Melbourne ship with four, the game could have been out of sight for the ladder-leaders.

Fortunately for the Dees it was only a three-goal deficit, and when they took control of contested ball in the third quarter they were able to claw momentum back and break even on the scoreboard in the third term, turning for home 17 points adrift.

Melbourne was always going to come hard in the last quarter, but wayward kicking and five holding the ball free kicks halted their charge.

Tom Green, who could’ve been mistaken for a 200-game veteran such was his poise, stood up with nine final quarter disposals to get his side over the line.

Buckley’s rotten luck

Jack Buckley, who has been one of GWS’ brightest emerging stars this season, looks set for an extended period on the sideline after sustaining a serious knee injury.

Buckley was courageously running back with the flight of the ball just five minutes into the contest when a collision with James Harmes jarred the 23-year-old’s left knee in what appeared to be an ACL injury.

The unsung hero was taken down to the Giants’ rooms immediately and was seen at quarter time on crutches with ice on his knee, and later with a long brace on his leg.

The Giants led practically all day. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

No May-be about it

Steven May is the best key defender in the AFL, there are no questions about it.

The 29-year-old, who is seemingly a lock for All-Australian honours, took just one quarter to stamp his authority on the contest with seven intercepts and 151-metres gained in the first term.

By halftime, May had nine intercepts, five more than anyone on the ground, and in tandem with Jake Lever kept GWS’ key forwards goalless despite the Giants being on top in general play.

Giant midfield depth

When the Giants get buy-in from their midfield stars they look hard to stop around the ball – and Shane Mumford helps, too.

Coming off a demoralising loss to cellar dwellers Hawthorn where they were well beaten in the midfield, the Giants’ prime movers stepped up.

At halftime Josh Kelly (17), Callan Ward (14), Tim Taranto (12), Lachie Whitfield (11), Tom Green (10) and Jacob Hopper (10) had all spent time around the ball and had at least 10 touches while only Christian Petracca had done the same for Melbourne.

Greene machine

It’s no secret Toby Greene is GWS’ barometer but facing off with Michael Hibberd was always going to be a tough ask for the pantomime villain.

Hibberd has become the Dees’ number one defensive stopper in 2021 and towelled Dustin Martin up earlier this season, but such is the quality of Greene the enigmatic forward was the key man on the ground for much of the contest.

It wasn’t a huge disposal performance for the 27-year-old stand in skipper, but three goals to three quarter time was the difference between the two sides.

DEES 1.3 3.6 5.9 7.13 55

GIANTS 2.2 6.6 8.8 9.10 64

MOTTERSHEAD’S BEST Dees: Salem, Petracca, May, McDonald, Lever, Fritsch. Giants: Kelly, Green, Taranto, Ward, Perryman, Greene, Hopper.

GOALS Dees: Fritsch 3, Pickett, Sparrow, Neal-Bullen, Salem. Giants: Greene 3, Whitfield, Himmelberg, Taranto, Ward, Kelly, Reid.

INJURIES Dees: nil. Giants: Buckley (knee).

UMPIRES Margetts, Deboy, Heffernan.

MCG

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

JAMES MOTTERSHEAD’S VOTES

3 J.Kelly (GWS)

2 T.Green (GWS)

1 C.Salem (Melb)