An inaccurate UWS GIANTS side has lost its opening match of the NEAFL season, going down to NT Thunder by 26 points in Darwin.
The GIANTS jumped out the blocks with an impressive opening quarter before squandering opportunities up forward, losing 14.11 (95) to 9.15 (69).
GIANTS coach Brett Hand said there were positives to take away from the match including a fight back in the fourth quarter following a goalless third term.
“It wasn’t the result we wanted and obviously the conditions were tough up there but we were pretty disappointed with that third-quarter effort,” Hand said
“We had nine shots on goal in both the opening and final quarters so the boys responded really well and managed to control the ball movement and wrestle the game back a bit.
“We didn’t make the most of our chances up forward and they hurt us with their running style of play on turnovers.”
GIANTS recruit Jed Lamb looked dangerous up forward in patches, as did Liam Sumner while Stephen Gilham and Kristian Jaksch worked hard in defence.
The highlight of the match came during the first quarter when Will Hoskin-Elliott kicked a 50m goal on the run after taking two bounces through the midfield.
Hand said the agile NT Thunder forward line got the better of his tall defenders.
“We were oversized a little bit, Tom Downie had to play down back which is unusual for him and it was the same story for Jeremy Finlayson, one of our PM Capital GIANTS Academy boys,” Hand said.
“Stephen Gilham, Matt Buntine and Kristian Jaksch did their job but when the ball is coming down freely with limited pressure from our midfield Thunder managed to get easy goals.”
The UWS GIANTS now turn their attention to this week's game against the Swans reserves, a curtain-raiser to the GIANTS v Melbourne match at Spotless Stadium. The game begins at 9.30am on Sunday, April 6.
Last time the cross-town rivals met was in a pre-season trial match with the GIANTS securing a comfortable 38-point win.
UWS GIANTS 9.15 (69)
NT Thunder 14.11 (95)
Goal Kickers: W. Hoskin-Elliott 2, D. Spinks , R. Lobb , J. Stewart , T. Boyd , A. Phillips , J. Lamb , N. Wilson
Best Players: R. Lobb, L. Sumner, S. Gilham, W. Hoskin-Elliott, J. Lamb, J. Barrett
