Greater Western Sydney co-captain Callan Ward admits it will be a challenge to stay positive after his side’s 72-point AFL loss to St Kilda.
Ward was comfortably GWS’s best on Saturday, when the Giants were outplayed by the Saints at Canberra’s Manuka Oval.
“Nothing went right for us,” Ward said on the club’s website.
Sunday’s MCG clash with Melbourne looms as a great chance for the expansion side to post their maiden win of the season.
The Demons have been terrible over the opening three rounds, losing by a combined margin of 321 points.
But the Giants have their own issues to deal with.
“We’re dropping away after three-quarter time. We’re not even competing in the last quarter,” Ward said.
“It’s just not good enough, our last quarters.
“It’s an eight-day break which is handy … everyone’s pretty flat, as you could imagine.
“It’s important we regroup, review the game and take away the positives.
“… But it’s pretty hard after a loss like this to stay positive, so I think that’s the main challenge.”
GWS were below their best in a one-sided loss to St Kilda, with coach Kevin Sheedy claiming some of the responsibility.
“I blame myself for that. Because I think I really should have changed the team – three or four players (should have come) into the team,” Sheedy said.
“Last year, (we were) rotating a number of players through and freshening them up. I think we’ve got to do that.
“… There wasn’t a lot left (in the final quarter). We kicked the first two goals of the last quarter, but we just couldn’t go on with it.”