It's taken more than two months but football finally arrived at Skoda Stadium as Kevin Sheedy's young GIANTS took on his old club Essendon under lights at the AFL's newest venue in Western Sydney.

While it was the Bombers who prevailed by 66 points, the GIANTS showed plenty of the grit and determination that has become the hallmark of their fledgling AFL career.

Indeed Essendon coach James Hird, whose side has lost just one game this year, was full of praise for the young GIANTS and how they competed.

"What we took out of the game was how good GWS are going to be," he said. " They way they made us fight for the ball in the contests for the first three and a half quarters was exceptional for a young team."

If it wasn't for innaccurate kicking in front of goal in the first half - 2.9 to Essendon's 8.1 - the GIANTS could have almost taken a lead into half time.

After the game Sheedy lamented the GIANTS' poor kicking for goal in the first half. "We could have had five or six goals and we have players in the end who have got to get better at goal scoring." he said.


Midfielders Tom Scully, Adam Treloar, Dom Tyson, Devon Smith and Dylan Shiel all impressed for the Giants while Jeremy Cameron again showed his class, kicking three goals. Shiel will forever be known as the player who kicked the first goal at Skoda Stadium.

Sheedy said Treloar, who finished with 25 touches, had his best game for the club after an injury interrupted pre-season.

The young midfielder, who also kicked a goal, said the team had been waiting a long time to play their first game at their new home.

"We can take so many positives out of this game," he said. "The first half we could easily have been in front."

Treloar said after six games he was starting to adjust to the tempo of league football. "I'm gradually getting more confident ... I've realised I'm not going to die out there."

Of the crowd of 11,887 who attended the first game, Sheedy said: "We've got no right to come to into Sydney and expect everyone to come just because we have."

Sheedy said he was confident the club would continue to build its following in Western Sydney and looked forward to the GIANTS next home game against Richmond at Skoda Stadium on June 16.



Greater Western Sydney 0.5 2.9 4.11 7.11 (53)
Essendon 3.1 8.1 13.8 18.11 (119)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Cameron 3, Shiel, Treloar, Giles, McDonald
Essendon: Crameri 3, Davey 3, Bellchambers 3, Ryder 2, Monfries 2, Zaharakis, Watson, Melksham, Hurley, Colyer

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Treloar, Tyson, Kennedy, Cameron, Power, Shiel
Essendon: Dyson, Crameri, Lovett-Murray, Dempsey, Zaharakis, Davey

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Folau (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Townsend
Essendon: Hardingham (calf) replaced in selected side by Slattery

SUBSTITUTES
Greater Western Sydney: Sam Darley replaced Adam Kennedy at three-quarter time
Essendon: Henry Slattery replaced Ricky Dyson at three-quarter time

Reports: Nil

Umpires: McBurney, Ryan, Hosking

Official crowd: 11,887 at Skoda Stadium