Essendon champion Tim Watson has lambasted GWS for its effort in the first quarter in their semi-final loss to Collingwood.
The Giants conceded three goals in the opening term and failed to register a goal as the Pies could have put the game to bed early on and speaking on SEN, Watson said this was more on account of the Giants players.
"The Giants were just so disappointing in the first quarter,"ย Watson said.
"That was just terrible in the first quarter playing a final and just not turning up to play like they did.
"In the second quarter that game was completely different when they upped the ante and started to apply some real pressure."
Co-host on SEN Garry Lyon said the Giants were undone by the pressure of the Magpies.
"The pressure Collingwood put on them, they couldnโt handle. Out of their back half, it was as bad an exhibition of kicking out of a back half as Iโve ever seen," Lyon said.
"It was so one-sided, everything was one-sided and then you looked up and the Giants are 10 points behind."
Lyon added the Pies' returning players may have been the difference between the two teams.
"In the end, Adam Treloar had a fantastic performance, him getting going after missing so much footy was just so significant," he said.
"Howe had seven possessions in the final quarter as well, thereโs two players coming off long breaks that finished strong whereas Toby Greene had two, Brett Deledio had two, Zac Williams had two, Matt De Boer had one.
"Collingwoodโs blokes did it, the Giantsโ blokes just hit a wall."
