Defeated GWS coach Leon Cameron returns home with a bundle of emotions.
Chiefly, disappointment.
“We’re rapt that we’re playing on the big stage,” Cameron said after Saturday’s horror 89-point grand final loss to Richmond.
“But disappointed that we didn’t live up to our end of the bargain and bring a better spectacle.”
Cameron also felt pride for club’s first grand final in just their eighth seasons.
And he was chuffed how they got there: three consecutive knockout final wins; two of them, epics.
Did winning the battle of Brisbane semi-final and a preliminary scrap against Collingwood – both not settled until the final siren – suck too much of the Giants’ energy heading into the decider?
The coach wasn’t sure.
“No doubt there has been a couple of close games in the last two weeks in Brisbane and with the ‘Pies,” Cameron said.
‘But I’m not into excuses, mate.
“I know people will look at it and say we have had three tough finals (to reach the grand final).
“But I think that would be discrediting Richmond. We take our hat off to them.
“Clearly there’s areas of our game we need to find. We need to find five or 10 per cent to compete against a side like this on the last Saturday in September and make some ground.”
Despite the battering, Cameron also felt bullish.
“If I know our group, and I know them pretty well, they will want to explore what happened – and that is probably for a later day,” he said.
“They will want to get better. They will want to chase the dream that Richmond has got.”
The Giants’ response? According to Cameron, only “time tells that story”.
“We have had four finals series in a row … there is definitely an appetite for them to keep trying to grow and get there,” he said.
The Giants would digest their bitter grand final lessons then have no choice: go again.
“Like anyone, you add to your list, you add value to the list,” Cameron said.
“You give more opportunities to players that are outside the 22 now that want to actually make your club better.
“I’m confident that definitely will happen.
“We need to let the dust settle, address what happened today at a later date.
“Then, move on to a preseason and look forward to 2020.
“That is all you can do in this business … we have got to be prepared to go again and go to work.”