The call went out last round. We had come to cheer them on against Sydney. We showed up in our thousands. Our boys, however, did not.

For those of us who had been sitting in the cold concrete grandstand of Blacktown and then the sunny orange seats at Spotless-once-was-Skoda, we can put up with thrashings. We can put up with near misses. We’ve shaken our heads many a time and looked at the talent and waited for them to grow up. What we don’t accept is not trying. We can cope with the promise of finals being snatched away for another year – to be honest, this year we only just dared to hope. But there’s no excuse for lack of effort.

And so in Members’ Appreciation Round we were wondering whether what had been a likely win on paper earlier in the season would actually take place.

In between the rare NEAFL loss and the main game, several hundred of us gathered in the Northern race waiting to walk a lap of honour before the game. All of us (save the babes in arms or sitting on their parents’ shoulders) had become members in 2010 and 2011; we’d heard the silver tongue of Sheedy promise us a team in our backyard; a team that would grow and become our family. Our names were on a special five-year Foundation Members’ guernsey the team was wearing today. It was part of the club’s way of saying thanks.

While all of us appreciated the honour, I think what we wanted more was for the boys to show how much they thanked and appreciated us by playing well. In a way it was a test of character. How would a team who had theoretically nothing to play for go against a team that were playing to impress a new coach, playing for their name to be on a list in 2016 – be it Carlton or elsewhere. Would we stand tall?

I don’t know what happened in the first half. Sometimes low scoring games can have you on the edge of your seat. This was not one of them. Scrappy, disjointed, unskillful from both teams. Missing targets, turning the ball over. When the ball went into the forward 50 something strange happened. The key forwards weren’t getting the ball and if they did they would have done well to have kept Breaker Morant’s words in their heads “Shoot straight you bastards, don’t make a mess of it!” Nine goals from twenty six scoring shots; hardly a game for the ages.

The GIANTS performance showed that we weren’t ready for finals yet. Carlton’s performance confirmed the views of many of their fans that the season couldn’t end soon enough.

If ever there was a recurring theme in season 2015 for the GIANTS, it was our third quarter revival. I don’t know whether it was the DJ playing uptempo music or a spray from Leon, but the players decided not just to play, but to take the game completely away from Carlton and make a statement. It was as though someone had flicked the switch and everything started to click. Feet didn’t falter, kicks found their targets, players were presented with several options and most of the time they worked. And then the goals started to come. Eight in the third quarter, seven in the final quarter.

It was a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon in Sydney. Heath Shaw, down back, calling the shots as he has done so well for us this year. Lachie Plowman  who had been injured in the pre-season, standing up, spoiling, tackling and having a go. Griffen went down and on came Toby Greene who just shrugged his shoulders and continued his see ball, get ball approach that he’d been using for the past four seasons.  Ward and Cogs, doing their job as they always do.

The Adams, all three together for the first time this year, keeping on. Kennedy, a safe pair of hands, running and linking with everyone; Tomlinson filling gaps wherever needed; you’d never known he’d hurt his eye in the warm-up, and Treloar, tackling, running, racking up disposals, leaving opponents in his wake and kicking three goals. Oh how we roared our approval and crossed every digit that he would be back next year.

And then there was Jeremy Cameron. From not touching the ball in the first quarter to kicking seven goals, nearly bettering Carlton’s score on his own. And then making a strong tackle on Dylan Buckley, who was trying (as he did all afternoon) to spark something for Carlton.

It wasn’t that long ago that we were watching a team where there were some young talented kids, demonstrating that they were going to be really good one day, so I felt a bit for Carlton fans. Cripps never stopped. Buckley looked like he was always about to cut loose. Tutt was ominous at times, Walker took a brilliant mark and Bell kicked a lovely goal from the western flank in the second quarter. But like our recent past, it wasn’t anywhere near enough. A game is four quarters and if you lose focus for long enough, a good team will take their chances.

The GIANTS are now becoming that good team. And that, from a fan’s point of view, is greatly appreciated.

Kath is a Foundation GIANTS member who loves to cheer them on from her seat just over the players’ race.  Away from footy Kath is a wife, mum, lawyer and manager of the Mighty Penrith GIANTS Under 9s.

More GWS stories, and other fan-writing can be found on the GIANTS page at www.footyalmanac.com.au