IT WAS the biggest performance of his short career, and Aaron Cadman feels it's the game that can set him up for more match-defining displays in the big time in the future.
The 2022 No.1 draft pick took five marks and kicked three goals, including two late, to help put a massive contest to bed in the Giants' barnstorming, come-from-behind victory over Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday.
After being dropped in the middle part of the season, Cadman's round 22 performance looms as his breakout encounter moving forward and is the finest yet from 31 AFL games.
"Especially in the last quarter there, it was pretty satisfying," Cadman told AFL.com.au after the game.
'I had my moments and took them. It was good to back myself in, in those moments and get the rewards.
"Just to know that I'm capable, I think this game is going to be a gateway into some bigger performances for me."
It was a critical display from Cadman, who stood up in the absence of fellow key forward Jake Riccardi and with Toby Greene being well held in attack.
The most pleasing aspect of the Gabba triumph for the Giants would be the likes of Cadman and Darcy Jones delivering in a pressurised situation and daunting environment to lead them to victory.
The young duo kicked the last four goals of the game between them, diluting some of the talk that the Giants' forward line is too reliant on Greene and Coleman Medal leader, Jesse Hogan.
"It's really exciting. Darcy and I have talked about these moments and taking them," Cadman said.
"I think Darcy in the coming years is going to be an absolute star, hopefully the next Toby Greene. Hopefully we can keep doing this for years to come.
"I think it's just my teammates backing me in to go at the contest, at all times. It also helps that Jesse's (Hogan) such a big force in the League at the moment, so he's getting so much attention and it allows me to go at some point.
"When 'Ricca' (Riccardi) is not playing I also get little bit more game time. We're missing Ricca but I was just glad to get my opportunities and I took them."
There have been some challenges early on in Cadman's career, as there are for most raw key forwards.
When you're a No.1 draft pick though, the scrutiny is far higher, and that's a situation Cadman accepts.
But he has conceded missing last year's finals series was tough to take, even in his debut season, and he's hopeful his performance on Saturday will help to lock away a first finals appearance in 2024.
"I don’t want to miss a finals series ever again," Cadman said.
"That's what you play for, those games in September. It's going to be a big next two weeks for me, building in and solidifying my spot ahead of the finals."
While the similarities to last year's preliminary final run are stark for a Greater Western Sydney side that has now won six in a row, the manic nature of the run home this year has the Giants very cautious of how quickly things can change.
But at the same time, overturning a five-goal deficit, away to the previously nine win a row Lions, has enhanced their belief that they can deliver on their pre-season ambition of winning the premiership.
"One of our values is to never surrender," Cadman said.
"Hopefully we can keep building on that and get it done in these next two games (home to Fremantle on Saturday and then away to the Western Bulldogs) to solidify a top-four spot.
"We're treating every game like a final right now, every game has so much on it."
