But that was the situation facing Kevin Sheedy's Greater Western Sydney side against Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.
The Giants led by 19 points at the final change but faded badly to allow the Demons to kick 12 goals to two in the final quarter.
"We played just about our best three quarters (for the year), we kicked the highest score that we've kicked for the whole season," Sheedy said in his post-match press conference on Sunday evening.
"To get three goals ahead of another AFL club at three-quarter time is pretty handy. We haven't been in that position often in our life."
The Giants made the Demons look slow and stagnant, with crisp ball movement and hard overlap running for much of the second quarter and in to the third term.
But with an under-siege Melbourne staring down the barrel of a fourth straight loss, it was the final term where the young Giants let themselves down.
"You could read the riot act out to them, but I don't think that's the right way to go," Sheedy said.
"You let the players know where it was disappointing, and give them the reasons why and what you thought about it."
The veteran coach said it was a process the club could ill afford to rush.
"To me it's about building up players to have a system that can handle a 120 minute game," Sheedy said.
"Most of the team played well for the first three quarters, but we just need to make sure that these bodies get trained gradually. If you rush it and break them down, then you ask for trouble."
Giants midfielder Tom Scully was a clear standout against his old team and Sheedy said he was doing his utmost to ensure he becomes the player everyone expected him to be when he first ran out in Demons’ colours.
"I think Scully's been playing solid footy. He gets the ball 25-30 times. He gets booed every time he gets it. He's working his butt off to try to get there," Sheedy said.
"Put him in a top five side and he'd actually finish the team off. Put him in a Hawthorn or Essendon side they'd be pretty keen to have him."
"That's not the way it is, he's here to help build this club along with Callan (Ward) and Phil Davis, who are our leaders. I thought his game was much on the improve this week."
With Jonathon Patton out for the season after tearing his ACL last week, enigmatic forward Setanta O'hAilpin stepped up in his first game since sustaining a similar injury in round six last season, kicking an equal-career high five goals.
Sheedy praised the Irishman's performance but was still quick to stress the importance of developing the club's young key position prospects, such as Adam Tomlinson.
"We don't want to see a 30-year-old taking over a game and saying that's our number one key forward for the whole year. I don't think we want to be moving down that track," he said.
Ben Guthrie is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter- @AFL_BenGuthrie
