Josh Kelly shone again as the GIANTS outclassed a brave Essendon on Saturday by 16 points to go top of the ladder for the first time in their history.
Kelly's stocks continue to soar after a prolific first-half display at Spotless Stadium. The GIANTS recovered from a poor end to the first quarter to complete an efficient 18.9 (117) to 15.11 (101) win in front of 13,671 fans.
In-demand midfielder Kelly, reportedly the subject of a nine-year, $9 million offer from North Melbourne, went into the main break with a goal, 22 disposals (seven contested) at 95 per cent efficiency, three marks and seven inside 50s.
He finished the game with a career-high 38 possessions at 86.8 per cent efficiency.
Bombers coach John Worsfold said there wasn't a specific plan for Kelly.
"At half-time, we addressed the volume of his possession, but it was a pretty even game," Worsfold said.
"We tried to get a little bit tighter on him in the second half but still wanted to generate our ball getting forward.
"He's a very good player (but) we weren't prepared to just put a straight stopper on him."
The GIANTS’ fourth successive victory and ninth overall propels the expansion club to the summit for the first time since entering the competition in 2012. It ensures they'll start the second half of the campaign four points clear of Adelaide and Geelong.
"It's great to be on top of the ladder - it means we've won again - but realistically, it doesn't change anything," coach Leon Cameron said.
"The most pleasing thing is to come back from Perth and back up and win again."
Essendon's defeat, in veteran Brendon Goddard's 300th game, leaves them 11th at 5-6, a game outside the top eight.
Tight games have become standard procedure for the GIANTS this season and Cameron had rightly predicted another close encounter.
Although the GIANTS had won the past four against the Bombers, Worsfold's competitive outfit were a much-tougher prospect for an injury-ravaged squad missing 10 key players.
In that vein, the GIANTS scored three of the opening four goals but ended up conceding five in the first term.
That didn't detract from Tom Scully's superb first goal, nailed from 40 metres on an acute angle.
The hosts started the second quarter two goals down but finished it 16 points up with three-goal trio Scully, Toby Greene and Zac Williams running riot, though Bombers midfielder David Myers pulled off a cracking banana kick from the boundary line for his first major in nearly three years.
Zach Merrett and captain Dyson Heppell were strong for the Bombers and Josh Green slotted three goals.
But the GIANTS kept star Bombers spearhead Joe Daniher (one goal) largely quiet and increased their lead to a match-high 26 points during the third term.
While the visitors kicked two fourth-quarter goals in two minutes and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti mirrored the quick fire effort with his own late double, they couldn't make up the deficit.
GIANTS 3.3 10.5 15.5 18.9 (117)
ESSENDON 5.3 7.7 10.10 15.11 (101)
GOALS
GIANTS: Scully 3, Greene 3, Williams 3, Taranto, Whitfield, Kelly, Shiel, Lloyd, de Boer, Cameron, Kennedy, Perryman
Essendon: Green 3, McDonald-Tipungwuti 2, Hooker 2, Fantasia 2, Bellchambers 2, Colyer, McKenna, Daniher, Myers
BEST
GIANTS: Kelly, Whitfield, Williams, Greene, Shiel, Davis
Essendon: Hurley, Watson, Bellchambers, Merrett, Green, Heppell
INJURIES
GIANTS: Nil
Essendon: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Fisher, O'Gorman, McInerney
Official crowd: 13,671 at Spotless Stadium
