Jeremy Cameron – 7
Was the most dangerous forward on the ground and perhaps just shaded Darcy Moore in an engrossing duel. Kicked three goals of his own – including a final-quarter bomb to give his team what looked a match-winning lead – and set up Jeremy Finlayson for the Giants' first.

Aidan Corr – 6
Was outmarked by Ben Reid for a goal early in the second quarter but had the better of his Magpies' opponent the rest of the day. Did his job and did it well.

Brent Daniels – 6
Last week's hero again had his moments. Worked in tight spaces for a lovely snap finish when the Giants made their match-winning move in the third term. Finished with 14 disposals and looked dangerous.

Phil Davis – 4
The captain had a rough day, being taken to the rooms in the first quarter with a calf niggle. Returned to start the second term and, hobbled, was pushed forward to create a contest. His fitness will be a big talking point in Grand Final week.

Matt de Boer – 7
The game's best run-with player can add not one, but two more scalps to his collection, nullifying both Adam Treloar (22) and Scott Pendlebury (18) when he went to them. Only nine touches of his own but still had so much influence.

GIANTS REACH FIRST GF Full match coverage and stats

Jeremy Finlayson – 7
An unlikely hero, the tall forward kicked two goals among his 12 disposals and his clever overhead tap led to another for Tim Taranto. A bit lucky to get away with a push of Brodie Grundy at a forward 50 stoppage in the third quarter, but the checkside finish was sublime.

Nick Haynes – 9
With his trusted sidekick Phil Davis nursing several ailments, Haynes took his game to another level. Not only was he desperate with late spoils and body contact to upset marking contests, he was the cleanest player in the wet conditions. Finished with a game-high 30 touches (10 contested) and nine marks. Best on ground.

Bobby Hill – 5
Had a first half he'd rather forget, including a stabbed set shot from close range that missed everything, but the teenager fought back well after half-time. Was involved in Brent Daniels' goal and did well to keep the ball in the forward half on a number of occasions.

Harry Himmelberg – 4
Not a great day for big forwards and Himmelberg's struggles from the week before continued. Had eight touches and didn't hit the scoreboard before being swung into defence in the desperate last quarter.

Jacob Hopper – 6
Solid around the contest and did a lot of the dirty work. Fifteen of his 22 touches were contested. Showed some clean hands in the build-up to the Giants' second goal. A workmanlike inside midfielder's game.

Lachlan Keeffe – 8
A late inclusion for Toby Greene, Keeffe was magnificent. Was shuffled on to Brody Mihocek after Davis was moved forward and completely blanketed the Magpies' key forward. Mihocek had just two touches for the day – both in the final term. Would be unlucky to be left out of the big one.

Josh Kelly – 7
Garry Lyon said earlier in the week it was time for Kelly to justify his wage – and the Giants' wingman did just that. Was crucial in the match-shaping third quarter, walking the boundary-line tightrope a number of times to put his team in good positions. Gathered 27 touches, including 13 contested and mixed it with eight tackles.

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED Jezza silences the finals doubters

Adam Kennedy – 6
Spent most of the day on Jamie Elliott, and although the Magpie kicked an early goal, largely did a good job. Was desperate in a number of one-on-one battles.

Daniel Lloyd – 6
The rugged half-forward was tireless. The most important of his 19 touches came during the third quarter when he intercepted a Jack Crisp pass in the middle of the field and started a chain of possession that led to a Jeremy Cameron goal.

Shane Mumford – 5
Was outplayed by Brodie Grundy for most of the day, but never gave up. In the desperate final five minutes, Mumford won some crucial hitouts, and once claimed the ball from a ruck contest to clear it from his defensive 50. 

>> We give the top 10 players a score out of 10. Swipe across

Harry Perryman – 8
An unsung hero for the Giants, Perryman was a brute around the contest and one of the best players afield. Put the ball on Jeremy Cameron's chest for one of his goals and his ball-and-all tackle of Adam Treloar to win a third-quarter free kick was indicative of his vigorous play. Finished with eight tackles and 23 disposals (13 contested).

Sam Reid – 5
A quiet game for the versatile Giant. Spent most of his time on the wing, finishing with eight disposals and six tackles. A poor handpass led to an early Jaidyn Stephenson goal.

Heath Shaw – 7
Best known for his distribution off half-back, Shaw epitomised his team's hunger with a number of desperate defensive acts and multiple efforts in contests. The former Magpie was crucial in the dying minutes.

Tim Taranto – 7
The longer the game went, the better the third-year midfielder got. A number of his disposals in the early going were helping out his defenders, before he became more influential around the contest, pouncing with a third-quarter goal. Had 26 disposals and a team-leading 538m gained.

Sam Taylor – 8
Showed maturity beyond his 20 years and was a backline star. Despite the slippery conditions, Taylor was clean, with most of his eight intercept possessions coming in the form of overhead marks. Did we say clean? A terrific game.

Adam Tomlinson – 6
Played a number of roles, including back-up ruck to Shane Mumford. While he struggled in those moments against Brodie Grundy, Tomlinson had a huge third quarter around the ground and was a big driver in his team's surge.

Zac Williams – 9
Thrown into a midfield role in the absence of Toby Greene and Lachie Whitfield, Williams delivered. His power through the contest was crucial and he capped a 25-touch (16 contested) game with an opportunistic third-quarter goal. One of the most influential players on the field and a Giants' hero.