It may have been just the team's 100th AFL match, but Greater Western Sydney showed how far it has come with a 42-point win over the Sydney Swans at Spotless Stadium on Sunday.
A surge either side of half-time set up a 15.15 (105) to 9.9 (63) victory, just their second win in 10 Sydney derbies.
The result on Sunday at Spotless Stadium snapped the Giants' two-match losing skid and a three-match Swans' winning streak.
A win would have put the Swans top, but they were second-best for most of the game, which was viewed by a crowd of 21,541, a record for a sporting fixture at the ground since its redevelopment.
The Giants won the midfield battle and got more drive out of defence through Brett Kirk medallist Heath Shaw, Zac Williams and Nathan Wilson.
Toby Greene booted four goals in the victory and Giants coach Leon Cameron was impressed with how the former midfielder had re-invented himself.
"I'm pretty hard on Toby (Greene) because I know the ability he has," Cameron said.
"He's into his fifth year so we're expecting him to back up every week.
"When he stays tuned in with the game he can deliver results like he did today.
"He's gone back an re-invented himself as a small forward, he wins one on one footy and guys like that in your team are absolutely valuable."
From a 23-23 tie early in the second quarter, the Giants kicked seven of the next eight goals to lead by 40 points.
After quiet first halves, both Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin lifted and got the Swans back into the game as the visitors notched the last three goals and 20 points of the third quarter to cut the deficit by 20 at the last change.
However the Swans couldn't get the deficit below 20 in a final term in which the Giants' Sam Reid marked his first game in over 1000 days with a goal.
GWS finished 20-up in contested possessions, had 49 more disposals and had nine more inside 50s.
The Swans were hit by injuries to two in-form players, with Kurt Tippett leaving the field in the second quarter and speedster Gary Rohan sitting out the final quarter.
Coach John Longmire said post-match that the immediate future didn't look good for his ruckman.
"It's a hamstring behind the knee, so I think it's going to be a significant one," he said.
"We don't know (how bad the injury is); that's as much as we know at the moment.
"We haven't got him scanned yet so we won't know until tomorrow (Monday)."
MEDICAL ROOM
Greater Western Sydney: The Giants look to have come through the tough match unscathed.
Sydney Swans: Ruckman Kurt Tippett played no part in the second half after suffering a hamstring tendon injury late in the second quarter. Coach John Longmire confirmed Tippett's injury was "significant" and that he was set for scans on Monday to determine how long he will be out for. Gary Rohan missed the last term as his corked glute bled into his hamstring, and young guns Callum Mills (throat) and Isaac Heeney (shoulder) also copped knocks.
NEXT UP
The Giants head to Melbourne for another Sunday twilight game against Essendon at Etihad Stadium, while the Swans also get a week off before taking on Melbourne at the SCG.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 2.4 6.6 10.11 15.15 (104)
SYDNEY SWANS 2.3 4.6 7.9 9.9 (63)
GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Greene 4, Johnson 2, Patton 2, Scully, Cameron, Griffen, Coniglio, Lobb, Reid, Whitfield
Sydney Swans: Franklin 2, Jack, Rohan, Sinclair, McGlynn, Rose, Mitchell, Kennedy
BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Kelly, Shaw, Greene, Davis, Wilson, Mumford, Ward
Sydney Swans: Rampe, Hannebery, Mitchell, Rose, Grundy
INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
Sydney Swans: Kurt Tippett (knee), Gary Rohan (hamstring)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Hosking, Schmitt, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 21,541 at Spotless Stadium
