Giants still running AFL finals gauntlet

GWS aren't getting ahead of themselves after a win over reigning premiers Richmond, knowing another AFL defeat could cost them a spot in the top eight.

GWS claimed the prized scalp of Richmond last Saturday, but the expansion side are still running the gauntlet as they bid to surge up the AFL ladder before September.

The Giants are sitting seventh after their upset win over the ladder-leading reigning premiers, but risk slipping out of the top eight if they lose to Port Adelaide on Sunday.

The same snakes-and-ladders narrative played out last week, when GWS tumbled from sixth to 10th because they were defeated by West Coast.

The Giants are not alone in the logjam, some eight premiership points and percentage is all that separates third-placed Collingwood and 10th-placed Hawthorn.

"We live on that dangerous part of the ladder," GWS coach Leon Cameron told reporters.

"If you lose one week, you drop out of the top eight. If you win you might get back in, there was no guarantee (that would happen after beating Richmond).

"There's some cracking games every round now, because the stakes are so high.

"We run that gauntlet.

"If we don't improve, we'll get beaten and not play finals. It's as simple as that for us, we know we run that really fine line."

GWS, who are likely to be boosted by the return of fit-again veteran Brett Deledio, are seeking to become the second team this season to defeat Port at Adelaide Oval.

Cameron's charges will then be expected to bank wins against St Kilda and Carlton before tackling Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne in a tricky end to the season.

Cameron is looking no further ahead than Port, describing the upcoming match as being "equally, if not tougher" than stern tests against Richmond, West Coast and Hawthorn during recent weeks.

"It's going to be really, really hard," he said.

"Every challenge we have gets harder and harder.

"Port Adelaide will come back from Perth and be disappointed in their loss to Fremantle. They'll address that, come out and hit us 100 miles an hour. We've got to hit them 100 miles an hour.

"If we don't bring our best footy against Port Adelaide, they will beat us."

Cameron confirmed Deledio and Toby Greene, who returned from long-term setbacks in the NEAFL and AFL respectively last weekend, have both pulled up well.

"Brett's done everything we could possibly ask of him," Cameron said.

"We're really rapt with the way he came back.

"He needs another good session (to guarantee a recall).

"Hopefully there starts to become more pressure on spots."


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Giants still running AFL finals gauntlet | SBS News