GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY has hung on to defeat Port Adelaide by one point at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
GWS led at every change, and despite six scoring shots to two in Port’s favour in the last quarter, the Giants banked an important four points heading into the business end of the season.
The visitors got off to a flying start when Jeremy Finlayson found Jeremy Cameron who snapped truly from deep in the pocket for the night’s first goal.
Ken Hinkley made the move to shift Justin Westhoff into the backline at the start of the game, and Westhoff was influential early as the first on the ground to collect double digit disposals.
After 25-goalless minutes, Cameron slotted his second - this time a snap on the right boot to give the Giants a 13-point lead late in the first term.
The visitors added a behind to lead by 14 points at the first break, with Toby Greene and Lachie Whitfield finding plenty of the football, while Westhoff was everywhere for the Power.
Robbie Gray kicked the home side’s first goal - eight minutes into the second quarter - but Finlayson answered straight back for the Giants.
Cameron snapped his third for the night, before Sam Gray snuck in the Power’s second after a strong tackle led to a free kick for the small forward.
Connor Rozee made it two in a row for Ken Hinkley’s men after receiving a quick handball from Cam Sutcliffe and snapping beautifully from 40 metres out.
GWS took a six-point lead into the major break after an error-riddled opening two quarters, with Cameron doing most of the damage on the scoreboard with three goals for the visitors in the opening half.
Both sides were slow start to the third quarter, with the first goal of the term coming in the 16th minute through a Finlayson set shot for his second major.
Dougal Howard then booted his first to reduce the margin back to five points, before Finlayson added his third goal.
Harrison Himmelberg made it two in a row for the Giants, before Robbie Gray slotted a set shot to keep Port Adelaide alive.
Robbie Gray got the crowd involved early in the final quarter, snapping his third goal to reduce the margin to just four points.
Jackson Hately received a ticky-touch 50-metre penalty to hand the Giants back some ascendancy, before Howard ran on to a loose ball and snapped truly to give the home crowd some belief.
The Power had plenty of territory in the final term but couldn’t convert into goals, as Toby Greene marked on the 50 and held onto the football until the siren sounded to hand GWS a famous win.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 0.3 3.6 5.9 7.13 (55)
GWS 2.5 4.6 7.7 8.8 (56)
GOALS
R. Gray 3, Howard 2, S. Gray, Rozee
DISPOSALS
Boak 40, Rockliff 31, Houston 29, Bonner 28, Hartlett, Amon 22
BEST
R. Gray, Boak, Westhoff, Houston, Amon
