GWS has narrowly avoided becoming the first team in AFLW history to be held scoreless for an entire game, suffering an embarrassing 37-point defeat to Melbourne.
Playing their first match since January 28 in a schedule heavily affected by COVID-19 issues, the Giants rarely threatened at Casey Fields on Saturday as the home side dominated.
The Demons gradually pulled clear to post a comfortable 6.8 (44) to 1.1 (7) win that underlined their premiership credentials.
Early inaccuracy in front of goal prevented a much bigger margin in blustery conditions.
Lily Mithen (22 disposals) and Karen Paxman (21) starred in the engine room for Melbourne, while Kate Hore and Tayla Harris kicked two goals each.
Tyla Hanks (21 disposals) was an important contributor on return after missing the previous round through health and safety protocols.
It looked as if GWS would be held scoreless until Jessica Doyle pounced on a loose ball and snapped a goal with less than three minutes left on the clock.
Another hurried kick by Emily Pease from the next forward foray went through for a behind.
The late scores took GWS past Richmond’s competition record-low 0.3 (3), posted against St Kilda in 2020.
Melbourne was forced into a late selection switch when defender Sarah Lampard was ruled out through illness.
Lampard was replaced by Alison Brown, who played her role well despite featuring in a VFLW match earlier in the day.
Goals to Daisy Pearce and Hore gave the Demons the upper hand in the opening term but they didn’t boot their third major until Shelley Scott kicked truly moments before three-quarter time.
It opened the floodgates as Melbourne kicked out to a 44-point lead during the fourth quarter.
Harris continued her run of kicking a goal in every game since her off-season switch to Melbourne, booting two majors in the final term after a tough battle with Giants defender Pepa Randall.
Harris crashed into Erin McKinnon in a late marking contest that left the Giants player nursing a sore back and head.
(C) AAP 2022
