The slow start

The final margin in this game was 20 points, and it was the GIANTS’ slow start that ultimately cost them. The Lions kicked the first four goals of the game via Jarryd Lyons, Dayne Zorko, Lincoln McCarthy and Lachie Neale and were especially dangerous around stoppages in their forward 50. The GIANTS worked things out from there and got more organised down back as the effort and work rate all over the oval lifted, and the team started to put the Lions under more pressure with some fast forward-50 entries. In the second quarter, the GIANTS wrenched the margin back to six points. In the third quarter, they got to within eight points. But the Lions never really went away, the GIANTS missed a couple of chances to inch closer and the Lions kicked three crucial goals at the start of the final term to stretch the margin a touch too far.

Shaw vs Cameron

Charlie Cameron looked very dangerous early, kicked two goals and was also able to keep Nick Haynes from intercepting as often and as well as he has done in the first six rounds. Heath Shaw moved onto the Lions’ small forward from there, and not for the first time did an excellent job at keeping him quiet. Shaw only had the nine touches for the game, but some smart positioning, some strong spoils and a big tackle late in the game made life less stressful for the defence and helped give the GIANTS a chance once they started to hit the scoreboard too.

Welcome back, No. 14

He injured his shoulder in the GIANTS’ first pre-season game, but the three-month break meant Tim Taranto missed just six games of senior footy. After a hit-out last week against the Hawthorn reserves last week Taranto came back into the midfield and got straight to work, providing some toughness around the ball and some liveliness in the forward line too. The Kevin Sheedy medallist had 15 disposals and three disposals in his first game back, slotting a first-quarter snap and slotting another in the third term as the GIANTS made a move.

The contested count

The GIANTS worked their way into the game by getting back to winning the contested ball, then looked at their best when they were able to get running and get the ball moving quickly. Stephen Coniglio’s 13 first-half possessions were a big part of the improved effort and he finished with 27 for the day, 15 of them contested and nine clearances, with Taranto, Jacob Hopper, Jye Caldwell and others doing their bit as the GIANTS won the contested possession count 125-109. A run of centre clearances in the third term played a big part in the team getting on a four-goal run that saw them reduce the lead to eight points. Where the Lions had an early edge was in the air: with Harris Andrews starting the game in hot form the Lions racked up the marks, finishing with 43 more marks for the way and racking up 22 more inside 50s than the GIANTS.

The kids

With Toby Greene, Callan Ward , Zac Williams, Daniel Lloyd, Sam Reid and Adam Kennedy missing through injury, seven players aged 22 and under got an opportunity against the in-form Lions side sitting in the top four. Taranto, at 22, is a 64-game player and already a club champion. Harry Perryman’s cool head and precision kicking was again on show in his 43^rd game, and Brent Daniels added some energy and zip around the ball in game 40. Jackson Hately (12 games), Bobby Hill (9 games) Jye Caldwell and Lachie Ash (both 5 games) were the others to get another run, with Tom Green unlucky to miss selection after his bright start this season.

The upshot

The loss was the GIANTS second in a row, after last week’s defeat by Port Adelaide, and leaves the team sitting at three wins and four losses after the first seven rounds. A win would have pushed the team back up into the top eight; instead, the GIANTS will finish the round around the middle of the table. Up next: Richmond at GIANTS Stadium on Friday night.