3 minute read

GWS Giants have increased last-placed Carlton's AFL woes with a 93-point thrashing of the Blues at Giants Stadium.

GWS coach Leon Cameron got the response he wanted as the Giants ramped up the pressure on Carlton and coach Brendon Bolton with a 93-point shellacking of the Blues on Sunday.

The 20.18 (138) to 7.3 (45) result represented the Blues' (1-8) biggest loss of the season, while the Giants (6-3) moved back up to third with their largest victory of the campaign.

It came a week after GWS were widely condemned for a miserable five-goal 38-point return and lacklustre effort in their loss to Hawthorn.

"It's pleasing to hit the scoreboard because the greatest pressure is scoreboard,'" Cameron said after the Giants Stadium game.

"We needed to respond because clearly we let ourselves down last week against Hawthorn.

"It was a good positive response for Phil's 150th," added Cameron, referencing co-captain Phil Davis's landmark game.

The Giants dominated every statistical category bar hitouts, in what at times looked little more than a training run, as Carlton failed to put any defensive pressure on the free-running home side.

GWS piled on seven straight goals in the first quarter and 15 out of 16 in the first half after Carlton's Harry McKay booted the first major of the game.

"It was a poor quarter and set the tone for the rest of the match," Bolton said

"It's sort of like one step forward, a couple back at the moment.

"I think over the course of the year, nine (games) in, we've had seven where you can see we've been really competitive and that.s the footballl that we can produce.

"And we've had two where you've seen the worst of Carlton against North (a 58-point loss two weeks ago) and now."

Giants forward Jeremy Finlayson equalled his career best haul of five and Lachie Whitfield, Harry Himmelberg and Brett Deledio kicked three with the latter playing his first game since round three.

Neither of the Giants two leading all-time goalkickers, Jeremy Cameron, the Coleman Medal leader, and Toby Greene, kicked a major, with Cameron going goalless for a second straight week.

Speedster Whitfield, who missed last week's game, added dash, notching 40 touches, one of a dozen Giants to get 24 or more possessions. .

Carlton champion Patrick Cripps cut a frustrated figure and was held to a season-low 12 disposals by Giants tagger Matt de Boer, who got 27.

Carlton's cause wasn't helped by losing Marc Murphy to a rib injury in the first quarter after he got hit by Giants ruckman Shane Mumford.

GWS also finished the game a man down with defender Zac Williams off the ground for the second half with a tight hamstring.

McKay kicked the Blues' only two first half goals and finished with three, and Nic Newman racked up 29 touches.