Hungry Roos taught us a lesson: GWS coach

GWS coach Leon Cameron admits his highly-rated AFL team weren’t hungry enough in a shock loss to North Melbourne, vowing to find quick answers about their effort, mindset and inability to “roll our sleeves up”.

Cameron’s team, widely tipped to be premiership contenders after reaching the 2019 grand final, were humbled by 20 points at Giants Stadium on Sunday.

The Kangaroos bruised egos and bodies in the contest, ensuring free space was at a premium and there were only limited glimpses of GWS’s slick ball movement.

The Giants were kept to 8.12 (60), their lowest score at the venue since August 2018, and Toby Greene was restricted to just two behinds.

Cameron suggested there will be a thorough review of the tape on Tuesday as the Giants seek to rebound against Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.

“We just did not roll our sleeves up and get down and dirty for long enough,” a shocked Cameron told reporters.

“They out-hunted us … they were hungrier.

“They taught us a bit of a lesson.

“You always judge effort at every footy club. Our effort was below the Kangaroos’ effort and that’s the disappointing part.”

Greene and Jeremy Cameron, who booted a sole goal in the final term, both struggled throughout the contest.

Leon Cameron noted his two star forwards weren’t alone in having quiet days, with veteran midfielder Callan Ward’s productive return from a knee reconstruction one of few positives for the expansion club.

“The majority of our players would sit back and say ‘we lowered our colours and can’t serve that up again’. Because you’ll be beaten by anyone,” Cameron said.

“Some individuals will be down and they’ll be disappointed … but we were beaten pretty convincingly across all lines.

“There weren’t too many winners.

“It’s a forward line that in round one kicked 17 goals. Credit to North’s defence … (and) our supply will need to be a bit better (in round three).”

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