AFL finals not on Giants’ radar yet

They’ve picked up their ninth win of the season against Gold Coast but Greater Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron isn’t thinking about AFL finals just yet.

The Giants made it back-to-back wins with a 15-point victory over the Suns on Saturday to keep them inside the top eight.

Devon Smith’s four goals, including a game-breaking haul of three in the final term, lifted them to a 13.16 (94) to 12.7 (79) victory over a battling Suns.

Co-captain Callan Ward also booted a crucial goal in the fourth quarter on his way to a two-goal, 30-disposal game.

Cameron says while it’s too early to think the Giants are finals-bound, he couldn’t be happier with how his team are standing up in the absence of key players Shane Mumford, Phil Davis and Joel Patfull.

“We are a young side knowing that we’re heading in the right direction, we’ve improved on last year,” Cameron said.

“But we’re not good enough to look that far ahead, yet.

“In saying that I don’t want to put a ceiling on our players, they want to have a crack every week.”

Cameron said Smith’s performance was an example of how his charges continue to prevail despite the absence of Mumford, Patfull and Davis.

“He kicked three in the last quarter and two of them were pretty special and you need that,” he said.

“Another learning experience for our guys.

“Devon was one of our most consistent throughout the game but the cream came to the top when he nailed some of those opportunities.”

Giants midfielder Matt Buntine missed most of the final term after being knocked out during a sickening head clash with Gold Coast’s Sam Day.

Buntine walked off the field but will still undergo concussion testing throughout the week.

Suns coach Rodney Eade was full of praise for his injury-hit team, which overcame a slow start to nearly snatch their third win of the season.

Captain Gary Ablett laid on a career-high 17 tackles as well as kicking three goals and picking up 30 disposals in his best game of an injury-marred campaign.

First-year player Touk Miller also starred, kicking two goals and snaring 27 disposals.

“It was disappointing but I thought the effort was terrific,” Eade said.

“Just a couple of times, as we tend to do, but I thought our mistakes was less than it has been. I thought we improved in that area. A couple of guys who had jobs to do were terrific.

“They were just able to get a couple of goals at the end.”

Suns’ ruckman Tom Nicholls will also have to prove his fitness this week after being subbed out at quarter-time with a corked thigh.

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