Jumpin' GIANT Flash. Is GWS.

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They Might Be GIANTS...no, wait....THEY ARE!

1. The Giants have arrived
It is only round one and they clearly lifted against their great rival, but all the signs are there that GWS won't be the AFL's easybeats any longer. They retained the hunger and competitiveness that has been their trademark, but the growth of their youngsters, coupled with the veteran savvy of players such as Mumford and Shaw, means they seem to have taken a significant leap forward already. Disregarded at times as a threat following three wins in two years, they are already one-for-one in 2014.

2. Swans flying wounded
There was rotten news well before the main event, with Swans defender Alex Johnson again hurting his knee. Johnson, a key member of the club's 2012 flag-winning campaign, originally ruptured his ACL in last year's NAB Cup. His initial reconstruction failed and he then underwent the LARS procedure and Saturday marked his return to football. The severity of his injury is not yet known. There was then a surprise absentee when co-captain Kieren Jack withdrew with a sore back. It was the first game he missed since round 15, 2011. Ryan O'Keefe, a surprise omission from the original Swans' line-up, came in as their sub. It was at least good to see Sam Reid, Gary Rohan, and Lewis Jetta for the Swans, who missed plenty of football last year through injury, get through seemingly unscathed.

3. Jezza and the General back in action
Jeremy Cameron and Jonathon Patton were supposed to be the mainstays of GWS' forward line from day one, but two knee injuries in two years to Patton has prevented the man known as the 'General' from really getting his career started. Fully fit once more, he took his place alongside All Australian Cameron on Saturday and it was a sight to behold. Well held early on by Ted Richards, Cameron worked his way into the contest to kick a game-high four goals. Patton was busy early and then bobbed up with one of the sealers as he managed three of his own.

4. Brett Kirk Medal
The Swans had taken out every Brett Kirk Medal to date, awarded to the best player in the Sydney derby. But that all changed on Saturday, with Callan Ward a deserving winner. The co-captain managed 31 touches, 11 clearances, five tackles and a goal in an outstanding individual performance. Adam Treloar, Stephen Coniglio and Shane Mumford were also key contributors for the joyous Giants.

5. The weather gods also have an impact
There was already enough intrigue leading into this match as the Giants tried to show their improvement and the Swans kicked off a campaign that is expected to see them fight for another flag. But the weather then intervened to add to the drama. Lightning struck the ground, thunderclaps made the record crowd jump and the quarter-time break stretched to 25 minutes. When play finally resumed, it was the Giants that handled the moment better as they marched to their remarkable victory.

Twitter: @AFL_JD

Finally!

The overjoyed GWS Giants celebrate their win over lowly Melbourne at Skoda Stadium. Photo: Getty Images

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 5.1  9.3  12.7  19.10 (124)
MELBOURNE 4.3  5.8  9.12  12.15 (87)

GOALS Greater Western Sydney: C Ward 4 J Cameron 4 D Smith 3 J Giles 2 L Whitfield 2 A Tomlinson D Shiel T Adams T Bugg. Melbourne: D Kent 2 J Fitzpatrick 2 J Watts 2 C Pedersen J Howe J Spencer J Trengove M Clisby S Byrnes.
UMPIRES: Stuart Wenn, Ben Ryan, Jordan Bannister.
OFFICIAL CROWD: 8,308 at Skoda Stadium. 

They did it. Finally.

Master coach Kevin Sheedy won seven premierships as a player and coach but, after putting his heart and soul into the expansion project into western Sydney over the past four years, the Giants'  37-point win over Melbourne on Saturday might have been as emotional as any of his title wins with Richmond and Essendon.

This was, in many respects, the Giants' 2013 grand final.

After 22 straight losses – some by crushing margins – 364 days since their last win, and looking to avoid becoming the first team since Fitzroy in 1964 to go winless for an entire season, the Giants tasted victory for just the third time since their birth.

They   led by four points at the first break, before adding four goals – including a buzzer-beater by ruckman Jonathan Giles – to the Demons' one in the second quarter, to hold a 19-point half-time lead.

Melbourne won the third term, leaving the gap at 13 points and the game seemed set to be a cliffhanger. However, the Giants, determined not to allow these opponents  repeat their 12-goal final-term barrage last time they met, sealed the historic win with a stirring seven-goal final quarter.

In front of 8308 fans at Skoda Stadium, star forward Jeremy Cameron kicked four goals to take him within sight of the Coleman Medal and co-captain Callan Ward also kicked four in a best-on-ground performance. Devon Smith kicked three goals, all in the crucial final quarter. No.1 draft pick Lachie Whitfield was outstanding in midfield, and Adam Treloar and Tom Scully were among the highest possession getters. When the final siren went, hands were raised in triumph and a rarely heard team song was played.

The big picture view is that this was a glimpse into a bright future.

On the day, however, it was about the culmination of hundreds of hours of hard work with so little to celebrate.

Melbourne were thumped by 122 points last round and lost key forward Chris Dawes and defender James Frawley to injury, with the gain of defender Colin Garland.

GWS had won three of their past four opening terms and, with three snapped goals at the end of a tight first quarter, led by four.

Jack Fitzpatrick had opened Melbourne's account before midfield pressure earned GWS's responses, through Adam Tomlinson and Cameron.

Jack Watts scored twice midway through the term and Jeremy Howe showed why he is Melbourne's leading goal scorer, slotting one through from the right wing to put the Demons ahead by 13.

But the Giants launched an assault with Taylor Adams, Ward and Giles potting three straight in the final five minutes. Melbourne tried to slow the Giants in the second term but it didn't stem the flow. Curtly Hampton sold a dummy to Jack Trengove and dished off to Whitfield for their first. Ward finished off another length-of-the-field move, before Cameron converted a free kick to make it six in a row for the home side.

Jake Spencer's free kick allowed Melbourne to stop the rot, though it had been an alarming 27 minutes between majors for the Dees. The Giants dealt another late blow when Giles heaved a successful 50-metre slug on the siren.

A three-goal effort to Smith, on top of Cameron's third and fourth – a step, swivel and snap from 55 metres – put the Giants ahead by five goals, before Ward added two late ones to extend the winning margin to 37 points.

GWS Giants First Win of Season Round 19 2013