“We lose contested ball by 19 and we’re five goals down at quarter-time and on the back of that, they’re able to just then roll players back and defend a lead,” he said.

Even though he mentioned his team played five poor quarters during the season and no team can do that if they want to play finals football over a seven-week competition, he said there won’t be wholesale changes to the roster next year.

“I trust we won’t be starting again and we’ve certainly come a long way, we need to tinker a few things, but not a lot, time will tell there,” McConnell said.

The fairytale is over for this season but the Giants will be proud of in their progression from last year’s wooden spoons.

As for the Lions, Starcevich said they now play the waiting game and his team will watch other match results to see if they make it through to the AFLW grand final.

“Well tomorrow night the Bulldogs-Melbourne game is the first thing we need to watch and tick off,” he said.

“Yeah sit there and cross your fingers it all goes your way and the right through to the last game on Sunday, we have to watch the mighty Magpies get across the line, so we’ll all have our scarves on for that one.”