SOME early educated risks from Geelong gave Greater Western Sydney the fast start, and even with an impressive fight back, the home side fell an agonising four points short.
The choice to start Bailey Smith on the wing, and Jeremy Cameron on the ball was one that "destabilised" Geelong, which allowed the visitors to kick five of the first six goals and dominate the contest.
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"I was about to say we, it was me. We made some errors early with the way we structured up, took a few educated risks, and I thought that actually destabilised us a little bit," Geelong coach Chris Scott said post-match.
"So, as always, when you don't get the outcomes you're after, it's little bit the players, and it's a lot the way you set up. So, we look at ourselves first, so when we got some stability in there with Bailey Smith and (Max) Holmes in the centre bounce a bit more, with (Mark) Blicavs, and I thought, again, to my eye, a lot of the time, not always but a lot of the time, they just beat their opponents."
Geelong was trailing in clearances 5-10 at the first break, and two late goals for the term narrowed the margin to 10 points, from which the lead changed 10 times and it became a game of inches.
The Giants' ability to take control goal side of the contest and exploit the absence of Geelong's defensive leaders in Jack Henry, Tom Stewart, and Jake Kolodjashnij, as well as emerging defender Lawson Humphries, created opportunities for the visitors to score, and score heavily.
"There were some decision-making errors that sort of led to (the Giants) having that open forward line… I think when they're on, they've got a system that is hard to stop," Scott said.
Geelong conceded nine goals from the back half, while kicking just two itself.
The loss wasn't without opportunities to win, but the Cats simply didn't make the most of their chances in the dying minutes, finishing the game with just 14 goals from 31 scores.
Tyson Stengle, Shaun Mannagh, and Blicavs all had chances late in the game to put the Cats ahead, but wayward kicking haunted them.
"He'll be disappointed, but he's the eternal optimist 'Blitz'," Scott said of Blicavs late shot on goal, that ultimately hit the post.
"It's not to say that he won't be feeling it tonight, but I would encourage him, when he feels that disappointment, to remember, without him, we're not in the game."
In the absence of Rhys Stanley, who missed with a hamstring injury, Blicavs served as the side's No.1 ruck and did so with aplomb. He won 20 disposals and nine clearances for the game, taking it to Giants ruck Kieren Briggs.
"I expected him to kick it," Greater Western Sydney coach Adam Kingsley said of Blicavs late opportunity to snatch the lead.
"He's a star of the competition in my view. He's so reliable, so it was nice to see it hit the post in the end."
Kingsley's star forward put on a show, with seven goals for the evening and ultimately proving to be the difference.
"He's reasonable," Kingsley said of Jesse Hogan, tongue in cheek.
"Some of those marks he was taking, I think it might have been the second quarter where he's got guys hanging off him and he's still able to control the ball, was, you know, I think he's the best in the League at that aspect of the game."
Finding chemistry up forward has been an ongoing challenge for Kingsley's side, with injuries forcing the line to shift week-to-week, and that will be true for next week's clash with Fremantle after Jake Stringer injured his hamstring in the second quarter.
"Unfortunately, Jake did his hamstring… looks like he might be out for a short period of time," Kingsley said.
Meanwhile Scott is hopeful Tom Stewart (knee) and Lawson Humphries (concussion) will return for next week's away game against Port Adelaide, while Jack Henry (hamstring) may be available, but will be managed carefully.
