GREATER Western Sydney has ended a barren run of more than a year without a win, posting a spirited 21-point victory over the Western Bulldogs on Saturday.

Georgia Garnett starred in the drought-breaking performance, kicking three goals in the Giants’ 8.2 (50) to 3.11 (29) triumph at Manuka Oval.

Cam Bernasconi’s side busted the game open after a dour first half, piling on seven goals to three after the main break to run away with the result.

The Giants’ previous victory – also against the Bulldogs – was in round one last season.

They had gone 378 days without a win, registering 13 losses and a draw in that time.

The result left both sides with 1-4 records after five rounds.

Garnett, who had kicked 2.5 across the opening month of the season, was outstanding with 3.1 from 18 disposals.

All three majors came in the crucial third quarter, when the Giants turned a one-point half-time advantage into a match-winning lead with six goals to three.

An Alice Edmonds behind was the only score of the opening term and the wasteful Bulldogs had 0.4 on the board before Taylah Levy (two goals) put the Giants in front with the first goal of the game.

Levy lands opener as tense arm-wrestle is finally broken

Taylah Levy notches the game’s first goal in the second term after slotting a neat set shot following a 50m penalty

It came at the seven-minute mark of the second quarter and helped the Giants to a narrow 1.1 to 0.6 advantage at the main break.

Ellie Blackburn finally kicked the Dogs’ first major with a free-kick from the goal square in the opening minute of the third quarter.

Blackburn’s cheeky celebration after finding her side’s first

Ellie Blackburn earns the Bulldogs’ opening major in the third quarter and celebrates in style

It was the first of four lead changes in the third quarter as the game opened up.

Garnett delivered her three goals as the Giants posted 6.1 to 3.3 for the term, turning for home 16 points in front.

Hat-trick hero Garnett nets Giants’ first AFLW win for 2025

Georgia Garnett plays a big part in her side’s maiden victory of the season with a priceless treble in the third quarter to pull her side away

And while they had given up leads in the past, GWS never looked likely to fall flat in the final quarter as they kept the Bulldogs at bay.

Emily Pease (29 disposals), Zarlie Goldsworthy (23) and Beeson (21, one goal) were all influential for the Giants, while Isabelle Pritchard and Jess Fitzgerald (16 touches each) fought hard for the Bulldogs.

AFLW Highlights: GWS v Western Bulldogs

The Giants and Bulldogs clash in round five of the 2025 NAB AFLW Season

Up next
It doesn’t get any easier for the Bulldogs, who host powerhouse Brisbane at Mission Whitten Oval on Sunday afternoon, while the Giants play cross-town rival Sydney in the Derby also on Sunday.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY   0.0    1.1    7.2    8.2 (50)
WESTERN BULLDOGS               0.1    0.6    3.9   3.11 (29)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Garnett 3, Levy 2, Beeson, Howley, O’Dowd
Western Bulldogs: Blackburn, Grigg, Wilcox

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Pease, Garnett, Beeson, Goldsworthy, Levy
Western Bulldogs: Fitzgerald, Pritchard, Grant, Georgostathis, Blackburn

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil

Crowd: TBC at Manuka Oval