Accuracy not enough for Giants

By the Editorial Team · Monday, August 31, 2026

The Greater Western Sydney Giants narrowly lost to Port Adelaide 52-48 in an AFLW match decided in the final seconds, continuing their search for a first finals victory and leaving them 14th on the ladder. The close defeat highlighted the Giants' improved competitiveness under coach Cam Bernasconi, but their upcoming game against Brisbane will be a crucial test amid concerns over Port Adelaide’s star forward Indy Tahau's knee injury.

The Greater Western Sydney Giants showed resilience but ultimately fell short in a close AFLW encounter against Port Adelaide on Sunday, going down 52-48 at Canberra. The result, which saw Port Adelaide secure a nail-biting victory with just 10 seconds remaining, continued the Giants’ search for their first finals win, with the team now placed 14th on the ladder by percentage.

Despite a 48-point defeat to Melbourne last week, the Giants entered the match with renewed optimism, focusing on incremental improvements under coach Cam Bernasconi’s quarter-by-quarter approach. Bernasconi highlighted that the team’s performance was marked by increased attacking opportunities, noting that although Port Adelaide had more scoring shots, the Giants managed to keep the game highly competitive through strong defensive efforts.

In the final quarter, the Giants outscored Port Adelaide 18-13 after trailing by nine points at the three-quarter time mark, with three goals in succession pushing them within striking distance. Bernasconi expressed pride in his team’s ability to stay in contention late in the match, describing the narrow loss as painful but emphasizing the importance of quickly moving past it. The Giants face a six-day turnaround before hosting two-time premiers Brisbane, who themselves suffered a heavy 56-point loss to Melbourne in their previous outing.

The match was marred for Port Adelaide by a potentially serious injury to star forward Indy Tahau. The leading goalkicker from last season was forced off late in the third quarter after a knee incident, when an innocuous challenge caused her right knee to buckle at an unnatural angle. Tahau will undergo scans in the coming days to determine the severity of the injury, which adds to a history of knee problems that have previously impacted her career.

With finals qualification still out of reach, the Giants remain focused on incremental progress and seeing the season as a building block for future success. Bernasconi stressed the need for his players to reset quickly and prepare for their next challenge against Brisbane.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.