Brad Ebert is carried off by Paul Stewart and Travis Boak afterhis 100th game. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: News Limited
THE GWS Giants have taken a backward step for the first time in 2013, overrun by a team they beat last season.
An 11-goal second-half blitz by Port Adelaide last night showed the Giants still have a long way to go before they become regular winners.
After bursting from the blocks in the first quarter, the Giants deteriorated rapidly after that, broken down by a Power side running on the emotion of a tribute match to teammate John McCarthy, who tragically died in Las Vegas last year.
Led by forward Justin Westhoff (five goals) and Kane Cornes (30 disposals), the Power were given freedom by the ill-disciplined Giants and made their young opposition pay every time.
Giants No.th1 draft pick Lachie Whitfield (20 disposals) and captain Callan Ward (26) were standouts for the visitors, but their second-half capitulation was a concern.
Their surrender late in the game will not be tolerated by coach Kevin Sheedy and senior assistant Leon Cameron, especially after they beat the Power by 34 points in Round 19 last year.
Their first half screamed improvement and promise. The second half, though, was hauntingly similar to the way they were bullied by bigger opposition last year.
They key is transferring their opening quarter for the whole match when their pace and confidence to run through the lines was telling.
It started when midfielder Dylan Shiel snuck goal-side of his opponent and converted after a picking up a perfect tap from ruckman Dean Brogan.
Star forward Jeremy Cameron's second major of the term gave the Giants a three-goal lead.
That's when the Power surged, kicking seven goals in a row as the Giants lost their accountability in defence.
They were broken open by a series of easy goals, including a double to Westhoff, who was hurting the Giants all across the park.
By the time GWS senior assistant coach Leon Cameron found a way to stem the bleeding the Giants trailed 54-29.
Midfielder Stephen Coniglio ended the goal drought for the Giants that stretched from the 22nd minute of the first quarter to the 26th minute of the second.
Jonathon Patton cut the margin to 57-41 at halftime when he was given another late goal minutes before the main break.
But Port ran riot in the second half for a percentage boost early in the season.
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