GWS interim coach Mark McVeigh has left his first game in charge as a winner after his Giants comfortably took care of West Coast 138–86 at home on Sunday afternoon.
With a new man at the helm, it was the Giants who jumped out of the blocks to boot the first four goals, but they were soon pegged back by the Eagles who answered with three straight of their own to reduce the first-term margin.
While the game was still in the balance early on, it didn’t take long for the Giants to pull away and get on top of the struggling Eagles, as they piled on seven goals in the second term to West Coast’s one.
One of the key shortcomings of Leon Cameron’s last games on the job was his side’s inability to be daring with ball in hand and kick winning scores, but that appeared remedied under McVeigh – albeit against a struggling opponent.
With the third and fourth quarters being much like the second, the Giants were eventually able to amass 21 goals as they put on their highest score of the season – and their second only in triple figures.
Another interesting note from the game was Harry Himmelberg’s move to defence and the forward looked “comfortable” in his new role according to AFL Nation’s Liam Pickering as he picked up 18 disposals, took six marks and even kicked a goal after being awarded a 50-metre penalty.
While the Giants had control in most aspects of the game, it was their work inside 50 that ultimately put distance between them and the Eagles.
Even though they only just won the inside 50 count 48-44, they were able to muster 33 shots on goal compared to the Eagles’ 21 while also taking 21 marks inside the arc to their opponent’s 13.
James Peatling (three goals, disposals) was a beneficiary of that good work going forward, while Stephen Coniglio (36 disposals), Harry Perryman (one goal, 30 disposals), Josh Kelly (29 disposals) and Toby Greene (two goals, 17 disposals) also made big impacts.
For the Eagles, Jack Redden (20 disposals), Jeremy McGovern (17 disposals) and Tim Kelly (23 disposals) were solid in defeat, and Pickering couldn’t fault the side for their effort despite going down heavily in defeat.
“It’s just a tough year that continues,” Pickering said on AFL Nation.
“They’re undermanned, they’ve got a lot of good players not playing.
“They’re trying hard, but they’re a long way off it, aren’t they?”
The Giants will face a tougher task in McVeigh’s second game in charge when they head to Brisbane to face the Lions at the Gabba on Saturday, while the Eagles will head home to host the Bulldogs on Saturday night.
FULL SCORE
GWS: 7.3, 14.3, 17.7, 21.12. (138)
West Coast: 4.1, 5.4, 9.5, 13.8 (86)
GOALS
GWS: Peatling 3, Greene 2, Hogan 2, Sproule 2, De Boer 2, Bruhn 2, Greene 2, Brander, Hill, Riccardi, Himmelberg, Perryman, Wehr
West Coast: Winder 3, Dixon 2, Cripps 2, Waterman 2, Clark, Darling, Duggan, Shuey
BEST
GWS: Stephen Coniglio, Harry Perryman, James Peatling, Matt Flynn, Toby Greene
West Coast: Jeremy McGovern, Jack Redden, Tim Kelly, Jamie Cripps
INJURIES
GWS: n/a
West Coast: Luke Shuey (back)