COACH Leon Cameron said Greater Western Sydney's 64-point win over Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday was "phenomenal" and the type of win that "builds a strong culture at a football club".
The Giants' first win in Victoria came after they lost their co-captains Phil Davis and Callan Ward and star forward Jonathon Patton to injury before half-time.
The Patton injury made the day bittersweet however with the 21-year-old rupturing the ACL on his right knee. He will have to undergo the second knee reconstruction of his short career.
Despite the setbacks, the Giants outscored the Demons by 67 points after quarter-time and looked the winner early in the third quarter.
"It's a significant win," Cameron said. "To win at the MCG … but to win the way we did with 19 fit men was just phenomenal."
Cameron indicated it was as satisfying as the club's historic round one win over the Sydney Swans, as it showed the players could deliver when expectations were high.
"It's a different type of win," Cameron said. "[We] came here with a plan, confident we could take it up to Melbourne."
He said he was so proud of the effort of the group to respond positively after it lost its three key players.
"It was just outstanding for us as a young group to stand up and confront the situation," Cameron said.
The only downside to the win was the knee injury to Patton and the season ending calf injury to Callan Ward.
Midfielder Dylan Shiel said winning at the MCG was a special feeling, given he grew up going to the football at the ground with his dad.
"To finally get a win, my first win at the MCG was incredible," Shiel said. "A lot of the boys were very excited."
Cameron said the club wanted to finish the year off well and looked forward to the opportunity to play Collingwood at Spotless Stadium next Saturday.
