GREATER WESTERN SYDNEYÂ 0.2 Â Â Â 2.7Â Â Â Â 7.11Â Â Â Â 11.13Â Â Â (79)
PORT ADELAIDE Â 2.2Â Â Â Â 6.3 Â Â Â 7.5 Â Â Â 9.6 Â Â Â (60)
GOALS  GWS: Shiel 2, Smith 2, Cameron 2, Patton, Coniglio, Reid, Greene, Scully.  Port Adelaide: Ebert 4, Gray 3, Wingard, Schulz.
BEST GWS: Mumford, Haynes, Kelly, Coniglio, Shiel, Shaw.  Port Adelaide: Boak, Ebert, Clurey, Wines, R. Gray, Trengove.
UMPIRESÂ Meredith, Findlay, Mitchell.
CROWDÂ Â 27,935 at Adelaide Oval.
GWS Giants have virtually shut the finals door on Port Adelaide and secured their first finals appearance in their fifth year.
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Giants step into top two
The Giants have moved to second on the ladder after coming from behind to beat Port Adelaide.
Given their positions on the ladder, their 19-point win – their first at Adelaide Oval — was expected, but we learned a lot about the Giants – they're not just the free-flowing runners after all. This was about producing sheer grit in the clenches – one of Port's assets – and they showed they can match the toughness with anyone.
The fierce gusty winds and the occasional downpours were always going to test both sides, and to also adapt to the tenacity Port produced and recover from a 20-point half-time deficit – against a hostile crowd — said a lot about the character of the competition's youngest side.
Overall, this was a huge step in the Giants' development, but as much as Port battled gamely, especially in the first half, they are not a finals side – even though mathematically it is still possible. A top-eight side would not have let the Giants back into the game when they kicked 5.4 to 1.2 in a telling third quarter when kicks were hard to gather.
A feature of this Giant's crucial performance was their spread of top contributors – reflected by a good spread of goalkickers guided and encouraged by Steve Johnson and some outstanding work in defence coordinated by Heath Shaw.
The key in the second-half turnaround came when the Giants took control of the play on the outside of the numerous stoppages. They found a way to win the ball, and rather than just blaze like they did in the first half their attack lifted with much-improved ball-handling skills.
Shaw's kicking wasn't his best, but his leadership was invaluable. Nick Haynes was a pillar of strength under a lot of pressure across half-back, and had great support from numerous runners like Josh Kelly and Tom Scully. This was a complete team approach.
Shane Mumford was again a big contributorand Port also had their share of impressive players, especially Travis Boak, and Brad Ebert, who battled valiantly despite repeatedly forced off with blood gushing from his head.
The first half finished controversially when, moments before the siren, Brad Ebert took a mark on the wing. When the siren sounded Ebert looked to walk away as the field umpire Robert Findlay put his arm up to call time. At that moment Jeremy Cameron walked over the mark, and Findlay paid a 50-metre penalty, allowing Ebert to goal and give Port a 20-point lead.
It was a crucial decision given the conditions made it tough to take marks and kick with accuracy, and it was a low-scoring affair. In round four the Giants had 14 goals at this stage to set up a record win, but this time they had more players with man buns than they had goalkickers, with their first goal coming 10 minutes into the second quarter.
For most part, Port had denied the Giants to use their brilliant run-on team game breaking inside-50, and had players falling back to stop the run from defence. None of it was pretty football; just hard stuff that Port seemed to thrive on.
But the Giants found a way to rebound against the odds; against a side desperate to keep their finals hopes alive. To win through sheer will, teamwork and especially belief was further evidence the Giants remain the strong finals contender we have believed for some time.