AFLW: West Coast Eagles become Greater Western Sydney Giants’ first victim of the season in 20-point defeat

West Coast are now the lead contenders for yet another wooden spoon, giving up a first-half lead and a rare crack at their first-ever back-to-back victories.

Instead, the previously winless Greater Western Sydney brought them back down to earth with a thud in a testy 6.8 (44) to 3.6 (24) defeat that leaves the Eagles staring down a one-win season.

Zarli Goldsworthy kicked three goals and Alyce Parker had 10 clearances even with a tag as the Giants pulled themselves off the bottom of the ladder.

They were left goalless in an opening term where Ella Roberts left her mark, but the Eagles went scoreless — other than a rushed behind — from the 18-minute mark of that quarter to the final two minutes of the game.

Roberts commanded the opening stages. The 18-year-old took six marks in the quarter — including four inside-50 — and if it wasn’t for some wayward kicking, could have put a gap on the Giants by herself.

Already emerging as an Eagles best-and-fairest favourite, Roberts had seven disposals and 1.3 before the first break, slamming a ball into the post in the dying seconds of a term they finished with a wind-assisted 14-point lead.

The Eagles put a high price on ground ball turnovers and hustled the Giants out of handball receives in a desperate start.

The Giants have the greatest handball percentage of any team in the league, but their run-and-carry game was completely shut down.

That’s until a scuffle after a high tackle at half-back opened the corridor for them to storm through and debutant Rene Caris waltzed in for her first Giants goal. It was a sign of what was to come.

Captain Emma Swanson was sent to clearance problem Alyce Parker, Michael Prior’s negating tactics coming as his side battled the breeze and lost the inside-50 count, clearance numbers and the lead by half-time.

Their best look at goal before hitting the break all square came when Aisling McCarthy ran forward of her mark, took two bounces but ran too far before kicking — giving up a simple chance.

They were completely walloped in the third. A series of repeat inside-50’s eventually brought Goldsworthy, who had loomed large all day, into the game as a marking target.

The Giants completely flipped the contest game and West Coast’s primary source ran dry. Nicola Barr and Parker were too strong for their younger opponents and despite running at the breeze, they finally unleashed their handball game.

Goldsworthy’s second goal, after the three-quarter time siren left the Eagles 20 points back and yet to take their second turn at battling the wind.

She didn’t wait long for her third, drilling one home from a Parker assist. The visitors claimed a small consolation late, veteran Dana Hooker nailing a set-shot in the final minutes.