GWS Giants Overwhelm Melbourne Demons by 49 Points

GWS Giants have proven last week's onslaught was no fluke, kicking 10 goals to three after half-time to overwhelm Melbourne by 49 points. Following on from their record 14-goal third term against Brisbane, the Giants' efficiency was elite and they beat the Demons 19.5 (119) to 9.16 (70) on Sunday in Alice Springs.

Giants onballer Finn Callaghan had a day out, with a whopping 797m gained, 31 possessions and two goals. In his first game against his old club Melbourne, Clayton Oliver racked up 28 disposals despite a hard tag from Jack Steele.

GWS has recovered to win two in a row for the first time this season and are 6-6 going into the bye, after losing three of its first four. Toby Greene, Max Gruzewski and Callum Brown kicked three goals apiece for the Giants.

Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett surely has the leading contender for goal of the year with an outrageous snap in the first term. He also had seven clearances. The Demons have lost two in a row for the first time under new coach Steven King and Sunday was a hard reality check ahead of their annual King's Birthday blockbuster against Collingwood.

That clash takes on even greater significance for the Demons after the death of former coach Neale Daniher, whose FightMND campaign has raised the King's Birthday game to a major event.

After the Giants kicked the first two goals, Melbourne dominated centre clearances and inside 50s. That set up Brody Mihocek for two goals, but GWS were torching them on turnovers.

Late in the opening quarter, Pickett pounced on the ball after it spilled from a marking contest. He tracked it to the pocket, taking a quick look over his shoulder. Then he snapped with his right foot over the left shoulder from the boundary line for a freak goal that brought Melbourne to within two points at quarter time.

It was a highlight worthy of fellow Indigenous player Eddie Betts, at the game as a TV commentator. Betts anointed Pickett's effort the top contender so far for goal of the season.

The Demons were up by 19 in contested possessions, six in clearances and eight in inside 50s. But with Callaghan firing, the Giants were controlling the game on the outside and threatened to take control in the second term.

Oliver had only managed two handballs in the first quarter, thanks to close attention from Steele. But the former Demon went to work and had 12 possessions in the second term.

GWS built its lead to 24 points before Melbourne fought back with two goals to keep the game tight at half-time.

It was no coincidence that for much of the first three quarters, the Demons were behind despite having more scoring shots.

The Giants lost midfielder Stephen Coniglio in the second term with a hamstring injury. Key defender Sam Taylor, playing his first game this season, also went off in the third with hamstring cramp, but returned in the fourth. Latrelle Pickett also hurt his lower leg in the third quarter.

Again, the Giants' greater efficiency gave them control and they were up by a game-high 35 points. But as they had done in the previous two quarters, Melbourne hit back late and reduced the deficit to a gettable 27 for the last quarter.

But three GWS goals in six minutes at the start of the last term settled the matter.