1. Nic Nat flies 
While there were some big moments in the fourth quarter, the highlight of the game came halfway through the third quarter when Nic Naitanui used teammate Scott Lycett and Giant Aidan Corr as stepladders on the wing to take a Mark of the Year contender. Eagles captain Shannon Hurn launched the ball long from defence and a pack of players gathered as Naitanui closed in from deep. He grabbed the ball cleanly with both hands and maintained control as he fell sideways to the ground, prompting the biggest roar of the game to that point from the 52,105 crowd. Naitanui won Mark of the Year in 2015, and Sunday's grab will have him in the mix again. 

2. Clutch Gaff delivers 
In-demand Eagle Andrew Gaff has become a complete midfielder, with inside and outside capabilities, and Sunday's performance will only heighten the interest coming the free agent's way. With 41 possessions – only one off his career-high 42 – and six clearances, Gaff was the standout player on the ground, and he lifted in the crucial moments of a tense fourth quarter. After back-to-back goals from the Giants, Gaff found space inside 50 and snapped a magnificent goal that gave West Coast a one-point lead. With the spotlight on fellow free agent Jeremy McGovern's future, Gaff has put together an excellent month and is shaping as the player West Coast cannot afford to lose.  

3. Giants' season in the balance 
July is a key month on the AFL calendar as contenders rise and teams on the fringe have their hopes punctured. Sunday's fourth quarter was massive in the context of GWS's season, and twice they snatched one-point leads to suggest a fifth consecutive win was on the cards. It wasn't to be, however, and they slid from sixth pace to 10th, putting their finals chances in jeopardy. It's been a difficult fortnight for the Giants, losing Jeremy Cameron to suspension and Jon Patton to a third ACL injury. They had played only 15 games since 2012 with both missing from the side, with a record of 3-12, and that slipped to 3-13 on Sunday. With eight wins and a draw to their name, every week will be crucial for the Giants now, starting against Richmond in six days' time.    

GIANTS FALL SHORT Full match coverage and stats

4. Eagles hold their nerve with McGovern forward
West Coast spun the magnets on Sunday, moving Jeremy McGovern forward and bringing tall forward Nathan Vardy into the team for his first game this season. The McGovern move was a classic case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, except Paul had to wait a long time to get his cheque. The All Australian defender had some clever taps, but the stats sheet showed just one handball in each of the opening two quarters and he looked out of place, with Vardy and Scott Lycett doing all the contesting. Two second-half goals – including one late with the game in the balance – added some gloss to his game, with the Eagles resisting the temptation to throw the star interceptor into defence late. But with star forwards Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling potentially returning against Collingwood next week, we might have seen the last of McGovern the forward.  

5. Inaccurate Giants kicking themselves
It could have been a different tale if GWS took its chances, and inaccuracy was an issue coach Leon Cameron addressed immediately after the game with his players. In a second quarter arm wrestle when accuracy was going to be crucial, the Giants kicked 1.6 from their 15 inside 50s, while the Eagles kicked 5.1 from their 16. In the second half, poor kicking meant the Giants were never able to fully capitalise when they had momentum and by the final siren they had taken 25 scoring shots to the Eagles' 21. "Goalkicking wins you matches and it can lose you matches," Cameron said. "Just before three-quarter time we missed two or three that probably could have put us in front going into the last break. We've got to work on that."