The GIANTS showed positive signs in their first NAB Challenge match of 2014 despite going down to the Swans by 40 points at StarTrack Oval in Canberra.
The Swans kicked goals early but the GIANTS continued to fight back, bringing the margin to just two goals during an outstanding third quarter, eventually going down 2.15.7 (115) to 0.11.8 (75).
Whitfield, the No.1 draft selection from 2012, shone with some precise kicking and vision to end with 25 possession and three goals, plus three scoring assists.
The GIANTS weren't disgraced in the game and displayed better ball movement between the arcs than they did in 2013.
Jonathon Patton came on after halftime in his first game since he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in round three last year at the same venue.
The burly forward started as the substitute with the GIANTS structuring their forward line around Jeremy Cameron, Jonathan Giles and Adam Tomlinson in the first half.
He lined up against Heath Grundy and also spent time against Ted Richards. As expected, he started slowly but assisted in a goal to Dylan Addison to end with three touches.
A number of other GIANTS put in strong performances, namely Coniglio, who had 29 disposals (17 at halftime) and set co-captain Callan Ward up for the team's second goal.
Ward played well, showing strong evasive skills in the second quarter when he danced along the boundary before finding Toby Greene in the forward 50.
Greene had plenty of the ball (30 disposals) but was let down by shonky kicking in front of goal with two untidy shanks in the first half.
The likes of Lance Franklin, Mike Pyke, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Lewis Jetta, Adam Goodes and Kurt Tippett were missing for the Swans while the GIANTS left out their three recent top 20 draftees – Tom Boyd, Josh Kelly and Cam McCarthy.
Boyd and Kelly could face St Kilda in Wagga on March 1.
WHAT WE LEARNED
Greater Western Sydney: They're getting better. They kept coming up, even when the Swans were able to kick super goals and push the margin away, and got within two goals in the third quarter. There's no doubt their mature-aged recruits will each bring something to their game, despite some being better than others on debut, and Patton will get better with each run – and their forward line will look pretty special when Boyd gets a game and is standing alongside him. The end margin didn't reflect the contest with the Swans flattered by a streak of late goals but even then, the GIANTS were able to offer some resistance.
NEW FACES
Greater Western Sydney: It was all about the mature heads for the GIANTS with their five recycled acquisitions playing. The left foot of Josh Hunt will prove to be a weapon for the GIANTS this season. The two-time Geelong premiership defender had a couple of big kicks from half back, hit targets and gave his new team some power. Former Bulldog Dylan Addison started strongly and looked zippy in the forward line, which he complemented with a nice contested mark at the start of the third and a pair of goals for the game. Jed Lamb found himself on the end of a nice piece of coast-to-coast play to resulted in a goal and he ended with 12 disposals. Shane Mumford dominated in the hit-outs with 30 while Heath Shaw had a quiet first half with seven touches and two rebounds but looked to lead well in the backline on his way to 13 for the game.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 0.1.2 0.5.4 0.10.7 0.11.8 (75)
SYDNEY SWANS 0.3.1 2.6.6 2.11.7 2.15.7 (115)
SUPERGOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
Sydney Swans: Malceski, Cunningham
GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Whitfield 3, Addison 2, Ward 2, Smith, Lamb, Cameron, Giles
Sydney Swans: Reid 3, Cunningham 2, Mitchell 2, Rohan 2, Towers, B. Jack, Derickx, Shaw, Nankervis, K. Jack
BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Whitfield, Coniglio, Hunt, Greene, Ward, Mumford, Treloar
Sydney Swans: Mitchell, Reid, Parker, McVeigh, Shaw, Malceski, McGlynn, Cunningham
INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
Sydney Swans: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Ryan, Pawley, Chamberlain, Rowe
Official crowd: 6854 at StarTrack Oval
