Greater Western Sydney has survived a scare from a spirited Essendon to reclaim fifth position on the AFL ladder, battling to a 27-point win at Etihad Stadium on Sunday night.
In a performance befitting of a bigger crowd than 14,463, the bottom-placed Bombers led by 12 points at half-time - an effort that prompted a standing ovation from the red-and-black faithful - and were still within two points early in the last quarter, before the Giants ground out an unconvincing win, 17.15 (117) to 12.18 (90).
Compounding matters for GWS on an uninspiring day, key defender Phil Davis suffered a left foot injury that he battled on with, while Nick Haynes was left nursing a sore back after a heavy mid-air collision with Orazio Fantasia late in the third term.
Small forward Fantasia (four goals) was forced to sit out 20 minutes as he was assessed for concussion - a cruel blow to the Bombers given the youngster was shaping as a matchwinner, and could reasonably have bagged six goals by half-time but instead had 3.4 and two score assists by the long break.
Other Bombers to excel in what would have been a Giant-killing performance included midfielders David Zaharakis and 50-gamer Zach Merrett, as well as defenders James Gwilt, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Patrick Ambrose, the latter keeping Jeremy Cameron to just two goals.
It took three second-half goals from debutant Matthew Kennedy and four from the busy Toby Greene to lift the Giants to victory.
Midfielder Stephen Coniglio and defender Heath Shaw were prolific ball winners for the victors, although an indication of the Giants' lack of sharpness, and the Dons' desperation, was that Shaw produced a few uncharacteristic kicking errors.
GWS coach Leon Cameron was disappointed with his team's lapse after a dominant opening, highlighting that Essendon's pressure ball use was better than that of the Giants.
"First 10 minutes of the game I was really pleased, but we just made some really fundamental errors and didn’t put scoreboard pressure on them," Cameron said post-match.
"There's always that million-dollar question: are they ready to roll? I was confident they were ready to roll, and for parts of the game they were, but for other parts Essendon played some good footy and we didn’t respond to that (in) the best (way) that we probably could."
Essendon counterpart John Worsfold said it was hard to measure whether it was the Bombers' best performance of the year, but it produced season-high results in certain key areas.
"There was a lot of stuff I really liked – our best effort for the year I think for inside 50s and scoring shots," Worsfold said.
"Even in the last quarter we probably had the most field position and inside 50 dominance but they got out behind us with a couple rebounds and kicked some easy goals.
"It was probably our worst quarter on the scoreboard but we had maybe eight shots at goal and 20 inside 50s. That's what we're building towards and now (we need to) get some more polish."
GWS – the AFL's rising power missed a golden opportunity to claim the competition's highest percentage, which could prove critical in an even premiership race.
Fresh from trouncing the Sydney Swans, the finals-bound Giants were expected to enjoy a glorified training run against Essendon, which had lost its previous 10 games.
And that's how it started - well, almost.
In the opening 15 minutes the Giants racked up 15 inside 50s to just three, but blazed 1.7 to 1.0.
Just when it seemed the floodgates might open, the Bombers started winning clearances, using the ball with precision and limiting GWS' renowned run, and the rank underdogs fired eight of the next nine scoring shots to lead by 10 points at quarter-time.
Essendon raced to its season-high first-quarter total – 4.5 – and it was just the second time this year they had led at the first change (the other occasion was in their only win of the season against Melbourne in round two).
The Bombers extended their advantage to 16 points in the second term and the Giants seemed surprised by their sustained intensity.
The Dons had averaged 58 points a game, but they passed that figure five minutes before half-time
GWS had previously conceded an average of just 45 points on turnovers, but they had 40 against them just 10 minutes into the second quarter.
A hobbled Davis was exposed by the unlikely figure of lumbering Dons big man Matthew Leuenberger, who twice goaled after marking easily on leads. Essendon's ruckmen contributed four majors in the first half, with Mark Jamar also kicking two goals.
Jamar was also reported for abusing an umpire early in the first quarter.
Essendon twice had the chance to extend their lead to three goals in the third term but rued set-shot misses from Joe Daniher and Mitch Brown.
A controversial free kick and goal to GWS debutant Kennedy at the 17-minute mark of the quarter gave the Giants the lead for the first time since the opening.
Kennedy added another major a minute later and spearhead Jeremy Cameron's second increased the Giants' lead to 14 points.
The Dons clawed back to within two points following goals to Fantasia and Brown before GWS added the next three goals to lead by 20 points.
Daniher nailed a long bomb and Essendon was still in the contest until deep in the final term, but a few misses proved costly as GWS added the last three goals.
MEDICAL ROOM
Essendon: Orazio Fantasia received a head knock in a marking contest but passed the concussion tests and returned to the field 20 minutes later. Patrick Ambrose was tested for a punctured lung but was also given the all-clear.
Greater Western Sydney: Phil Davis limped into the visitors' rooms to receive treatment on his left foot and played out the game under duress. Coach Cameron said: "We're not going to know until the next probably 24 hours how bad it is, but he could play the game out, which is good. He said that he was comfortable." Nick Haynes was sore after sustaining a hit to the back. "Obviously it stiffened up a fair bit but then he put his hand up in the last quarter and said he's right to go," Cameron said. Lachie Whitfield twice knocked his head on the synthetic grass outside the boundary but played on. Stephen Coniglio received a "corkie" to the shoulder but Cameron insisted would be "fine".
NEXT UP
The Giants host Carlton in a twilight game on Saturday at Spotless Stadium, where they have won their past five games by an average of 63 points. Meanwhile, the Bombers will have the opportunity to lick their wounds during their scheduled bye.
ESSENDON 4.5 9.8 10.11 12.18 (80)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 2.7 7.8 11.13 17.15 (117)
GOALS
Essendon: Fantasia 4, Jamar 2, Brown 2, Leuenberger 2, Daniher 2
Greater Western Sydney: Greene 4, Kennedy 3, Williams 2, Cameron 2, Griffen, Hopper, Kelly, Reid, Patton, Coniglio
BEST
Essendon: Kelly, Zaharakis, Cooney, Fantasia, Merrett, Jamar
Greater Western Sydney: Coniglio, Williams, Greene, Ward, Shaw
INJURIES
Essendon: Nil
Greater Western Sydney: Davis (foot), Haynes (back)
Reports: Essendon's Mark Jamar for verbal abuse in the first quarter
Umpires: Nicholls, Findlay, Fleer, Pannell
Official crowd: 14,463 at Etihad Stadium
