The GWS Giants were smashed last week by the Adelaide Crows, falling 97-1 to the reigning premiers. This week, they started hard and fast, determined to do better.
That intent showed early, as the Giants hit the game hard, with the first goal. The Blues fought back early, but after the second goal of the match, the Giants found a way to impose their attitude on the game.
Alyce Parker was the star for the Giants, with 18 disposals, while Georgia Garnett chipped in with 17 of her own.
The Blues dominated the clearances, and controlled the first disposal of each play, but the Giants were able to show off the free-flowing game style they have been looking to play in recent weeks, as Madi Brazendale, Garnett and others were able to run free and move the ball down the wind.
With run from the outside and through the middle, the Giants were able to apply pressure to the Blues' ball movement, forcing shallow entries and turnovers across the back of the centre square.
It was a recipe for disaster for the Blues, who finished the day with six scoring shots and three marks inside 50. The loss extends the Blues' winless streak to four matches, and with just four matches remaining, there is a risk of the season slipping away from the Blues.
The Giants ran out 29-12 winners, with Cora Staunton and Emily Pease each kicking two goals, while Gabrielle Pound kicked the Blues' lone goal in her 50th match for the club.
Blues coach Daniel Harford had few answers after the game.
"We had some plans in place to try and minimize that impact," he said.
"But we weren't able to execute it very well and ourselves chasing most of the game which became really difficult."
"We went out to move the ball like we dominated clearances we dominated contested possession, all the stuff that you base your ability to get territory from.
"We've become really safe and, and nervous with the ball.
"We wanted the players to be really bold with the way we move the ball today. And we didn't do that."
Bre Moody was a standout for the Blues, dominating in the air and competing hard on the ground.
Harford explained where he thought it went wrong for his side that dominated clearances, but weren't able to translate that to the scoreboard.
"It's just about decision making and patterns, and execution. I thought our fundamentals were pretty poor for a lot of the afternoon today from all over the ground, which makes it really hard to transition the ball and clearly hit targets inside the forward half 50."
One bright spot for the Blues was the clearances, as Bre Moody dominated for the Blues inside.
"Bre Moody gives us a good chance first up, doesn't she, she's a fantastic talent. So we worked really hard around trying to eliminate their threats around the stoppage and trying to maximise the space that we can use and exit. I think the Giants defended that pretty well, I must admit.
"So I don't think we got the dominance out of it that we probably could have. But we had a chance and we had a chance to move the ball and get the ball in the spaces we wanted to on the back of winning those opportunities."
For the Giants, the win was much needed after a disappointing run of form recently.
After the game, Giants' coach Cam Bernasconi explained that a week can be a long time in football.
"I'm super proud of the girls it was a challenging week," he said.
"Football is a funny thing - 100 minutes of football can really shape your week and last week we were really disappointed with how we went.
"The response from the girls was unbelievable today, we just asked them to compete a little bit harder and come back to what they can do and work on when they needed to during the week, so I was really happy with how they responded."
Bernasconi was particularly pleased with the young players in his side, who have stepped up week in and week out this season, with injuries ravaging the Giants.
"We can't be more proud of our young players at the moment. We're asking a lot of them. When you draft these girls into the program, you think they might play a few games to the one but then when you have such a big injury list - it's great opportunity for these girls to get more time but they also carry a bigger load than other first year players.
"The girls have just been so good at coming in and wanting to learn and understanding that there's so much growth in their own individual game.
"As a coaching staff, we couldn't be more proud of our young girls who are just cracking it and you look at Madi Brazendale - she gets to every contest. Her running power is such a weapon for her and she's gonna be really important player for us."
The latest debutant for the Giants today was Grace Hill, who was told that she would be debuting earlier in the week. Hill had two tackles and a hit out credited to her name, but her effort and physicality impressed Bernasconi in her debut.
"Hilly [sic] comes in and plays against the best ruck in the comp. So asking a lot of Grace and the best thing with Grace coming in, I said it in our pregame meeting - is that the players were pestering me about getting her in because she's just a fierce competitor. So she came in competed really hard."
Hill spoke to Edge of the Crowd exclusively after her debut about the emotions of the day.
"It's so much fun. It's beautiful day out here and it was great to get out there and play some footy."
"It was so exciting. I thought potentially, I could be a chance to play but it was so unreal when it was actually announced.
"It was a bit crazy today that I was playing in the backs and I got stuck into the ruck. It was a bit of a surprise, but it was a good challenge."
Hill wasn't caught up in the moment too much, and was straight on to thinking about the next game for the Giants, and how they can maintain the momentum.
"I think we've got to keep the standards that we've set this week as a really good training week, but we've got to make sure that it's not just a one off and that we carry it through the rest of season."
And after the dust had settled, Hill, like so many of the Giants, just got to enjoy the win.
