Lachie Whitfield, Callan Ward and Tom Scully have led the GIANTS on a far-reaching statistical assault on the club record and history books via a powerhouse 45-point win over the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Saturday night.
Whitfield (32 possessions), Ward (31 possessions) and Scully (30 possessions) were numerical standouts as the GIANTS came from 17 points down late in the second quarter to beat the Lions 19.11 (125) to 12.8 (80) and climb off the bottom of the AFL ladder.
It was the second time in three weeks the GIANTS have had three players with more than 30 possessions after the club had gone through its first 53 matches without this occurrence.
Two weeks earlier, against Essendon at Spotless Stadium, Devon Smith (33), Heath Shaw (31) and Dylan Shiel (30) completed the club’s first 'Triple 30'.
That six different players have been involved in this significant double-triple is enormously positive news for coach Leon Cameron, and the depth of ball-winning ability in his side.
Even more so that Toby Greene and Adam Treloar, who rank 2nd and 3rd behind Ward for most 30-possession games, were not involved.
The triumph at the Gabba was a moment for the young club to behold – the 6th win overall and the 3rd win for season 2014. With 10 games still to play in year three the GIANTS have already matched the win tally of year one and year two combined.
Ward, Scully, Smith, Treloar, Tomas Bugg, Jeremy Cameron and Stephen Coniglio are now the only players to have played in each of the club’s wins after Greene, Jonathan Giles and Adam Kennedy, a late withdrawal on Saturday, watched after having played in each of the first five.
It was also the biggest GIANTS win, surpassing the 37-point margin in the win over Melbourne at Spotless in Round 19 last year.
The GIANTS' score of 19.11 (125) was the club’s biggest, topping the 19.10 (124) posted against Melbourne at Spotless Stadium in Round 19 last year.
It was the first time the GIANTS had reached triple figures this year and the fifth time overall.
The GIANTS’ total of 30 scoring shots on Saturday night was another record, topping the 29 scoring shots against Melbourne at Spotless Stadium in Round 19 last year.
At the other end of the ground, Brisbane’s 20 scoring shots was the equal-lowest conceded by the GIANTS all-time, matching the figure posted by St.Kilda at Etihad Stadium in Round 2 this year.
Brisbane’s total of 12.8 (80) was the fifth-lowest all-time against the GIANTS, and their second half of 3.5 (23) was the fourth-lowest score for a half ever posted against the GIANTS.
Brisbane became the GIANTS’ fifth different victim, joining Melbourne (twice), Port Adelaide, Gold Coast and Sydney as opposition clubs to be beaten by the League’s youngest club.
The Gabba, too, became the third different venue at which the GIANTS have won behind StarTrack Oval, the club’s home away from home in Canberra where they had their first win over Gold Coast, and Spotless Stadium, the club’s spiritual home where they have beaten Port Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
The GIANTS went within a solitary point of what might be labelled the first 'perfect game'. They out-scored the Lions in the first, third and fourth quarters and split the second quarter.
Still, it was the first time they have enjoyed a domination of this extent, having only twice previously recorded a 3-1 quarter-by-quarter split against Gold Coast in Canberra in Round 7 2012 and Melbourne at Spotless in Round 19 2013.
It was the fourth time overall and the first time away from Spotless that the GIANTS have led at every change and won, having also done so against Port (2012) and Melbourne (2013 and 2014).
And the 17-point deficit second quarter deficit they made up to take the points was the third biggest in club history after they came from 24 points down in the second quarter to beat Sydney in Round 1 this year and 23 points down in the first quarter to beat Melbourne last year.
The GIANTS’ second half score of 10.7 (67) was the club’s equal highest score in a half of football all-time, matching the second half against Melbourne at Spotless in Round 19 last year.
The first half score on Saturday night of 9.4 (58) was sixth-best for a half all-time.
The 20-point win in the third quarter was the club’s best all-time in what is commonly regarded as the premiership quarter. And the 24-point win in the fourth quarter, when the Giants out-scored the Lions 4-5 to 0-4, was the equal fifth-biggest all-time and the fifth time in club history they have held an opponent goalless for a quarter.
The GIANTS’ 6.2 (38) third quarter was the club’s equal third-highest single-quarter score all-time behind only the 7.3 (45) posted in the fourth quarter against Melbourne at Spotless in 2013 and the 6.4 (40) in the fourth quarter against Sydney at Spotless in Round 1 this year.
It was also the equal highest third-quarter score by the club in history.
Similarly, the 5.1 (31) scored in the second quarter against Brisbane on Saturday night was equal second-highest second quarter score all-time behind only the 5.5 (35) against Melbourne at the MCG in Round 4 last year.
Brisbane’s second half total of 3-5 (23) was fourth-lowest in a half against the GIANTS all-time.
Not insignificantly, the GIANTS total possession tally against Brisbane on Saturday night of 392 was the second-highest in club history behind the 414 posted against Collingwood at Spotless in Round 18 2012, when Treloar (37) and Greene (35) led the way.
The team disposal differential of +80 from a disposal count of 392-312 was easily a club best, topping the +57 against Melbourne at Spotless in Round 19 last year.
The inside 50 differential of +20 (61-41) was an equal club best, matching that against Melbourne at Spotless in Round 3 this year.
The tackle differential of +26 (73-47), the clearance differential of +22 (52-30) and the contested possession differential of +10 (133-122) were third-best all-time for the GIANTS.
Individually, Cameron’s six marks inside 50 was a club record, surpassing his own previous best of five against Essendon and Geelong last year, and took his career total to 102. Jonathon Patton and Jonathan Giles, each with 28, are next best.
Cameron, with four goals against Brisbane, was the GIANTS’ leading goal-kicker for the30th time in his 47th game (including ties). It was the 12th time he’s kicked four goals or more.
Ward’s in-and-under double of 11 contested possessions and 10 clearances was the third time he’s achieved double figures in each category for the GIANTS, following his efforts in Round 1 and Round 13 earlier this season.
Greene has twice achieved the same double, once each in 2012 and 2013, and Treloar did so in Round 3 this year.
Whitfield’s 32 possessions equalled his career-best set against Richmond two weeks earlier. And his 11 contested possessions was one short of his career-best also posted against Richmond.
Adam Tomlinson’s 18 possessions saw him become the 11th GIANTS player to top 500 in total.
And Rhys Palmer’s 14 contested possessions and six clearances were personal bests for the GIANTS.