Jake Waterman has kicked a career-high four goals as West Coast overcame a week of criticism to post a 19-point AFL win over GWS at Optus Stadium.
The Eagles broke Sunday's game wide open with an eight-goal blitz in the second term, with Waterman and Jamie Cripps kicking three apiece during the onslaught in front of 44,649 fans.
Importantly, West Coast won the clearances (37-33) and contested possessions (125-118).
The 14.16 (100) to 11.15 (81) victory was just the tonic for West Coast after the team and coach Adam Simpson were widely panned for last week's five-point loss to North Melbourne, which continued on from their two-win season in 2022.
"We were disappointed last week, but I suspect there's 18 clubs who have been disappointed with a half here, a quarter there," Simpson said.
"Not many have got through with eight quarters of brilliance.
"I get the connection to last year and where we're at and what we're doing, and we're nowhere near the finished product.
"But I think we're a different side. Different personnel, different fitness, hopefully a different style of play. They got rewarded with a bit of effort today, and it all started around winning the ball."
Waterman, who missed selection in round one, finished with 4.2, eight marks and eight hit-outs from 16 disposals in the best performance of his 74-match career.
Cripps (3.2 from 17 disposals), Tim Kelly (32 possessions, one goal), Jamaine Jones (27 disposals, 11 inside 50s), Samo Petrevski-Seton (four score assists) and Jeremy McGovern (21 disposals, seven marks) also played crucial roles.
GWS captain Toby Greene was influential with 4.2 and three score assists, while key forward Jesse Hogan took eight marks but was wasteful in front of goals with 3.4.
Giants utility Jacob Wehr suffered a game-ending AC joint injury in the second quarter after being flattened by Liam Duggan in a powerful shoulder-to-shoulder bump.
Wehr immediately grabbed at his right shoulder and cut a despondent figure on the bench after being subbed out of the game.
It came just a week after Wehr was flattened by Adelaide forward Shane McAdam, who received a three-match ban for the hit.
"I'm not sure the severity. It's an AC joint - it was a nasty hit," GWS coach Adam Kingsley said.
"He's put his body on the line two weeks in a row now. He's a brave, brave boy.
"He doesn't take his eyes off the ball, goes exactly how you want him to play.
"Today is just unfortunate. I didn't have any gripes with it (the bump) to be quite frank, when two guys go for the ball."
Greene kicked two goals in the opening term - both from point-blank range - but Hogan was wasteful with 0.3 as the Giants took a seven-point lead into quarter time.
Finn Callaghan suffered an injury scare when he damaged his left shoulder after running into Shannon Hurn, but was able to return in the second term.
Cripps and Waterman tore the game open in the second quarter as the Eagles piled on eight goals to two - marking the first time they had kicked eight goals in a quarter since round 16 of 2019 against Fremantle.
"It's just a brutal competition. We can't bask in the glory of the second quarter. We've got a lot of work to do," Simpson said.
