Josh Kelly has shone once again as Greater Western Sydney outclassed a brave Essendon by 16 points to leap to the top of the AFL ladder.
Kelly's stocks continue to soar after Saturday's prolific first-half display at Spotless Stadium, where the Giants recovered from a poor end to the first quarter to complete an efficient 18.9 (117) to 15.11 (101) win in front of 13,671 fans.
In-demand midfielder Kelly, reportedly the subject of a nine-year, $9 million offer from North Melbourne, went in for the main break with a goal, 22 disposals (seven contested) at 95 per cent efficiency, three marks and seven inside 50s.
He finished the game with a season-high 38 possessions.
The result means the Giants overtake Adelaide at the summit and will start the second half of the campaign with a 9-2 record, four points clear of the Crows and Geelong.
The defeat leaves 11th-placed Essendon at 5-6, a game outside the top eight.
Tight games have become standard procedure for Leon Cameron's Giants this season and the coach had rightly predicted another close encounter.
Although the Giants have won the past four against the Bombers, John Worsfold's team were a much tougher prospect for an injury-depleted GWS squad.
In that vein, the Giants scored three of the opening four goals but ended up conceding five in the first term.
That wasn't to detract from Tom Scully's superb first goal, nailed from 40 metres on an accute angle.
The hosts started the second quarter two-goals down but finished it 16 points up with three-goal trio Scully, Toby Greene and Zac Williams running riot.
Though Bombers midfielder David Myers pulled off a cracking banana kick from the boundary line for his first goal in nearly three years.
Zach Merrett and captain Dyson Heppell were strong for the Bombers and Josh Green slotted three majors.
But the Giants kept star Bombers spearhead Joe Daniher - one goal - largely quiet and increased their lead to a match-high 26 points during the third term.
While the visitors kicked two fourth-quarter goals in two minutes and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti mirrored the quickfire effort with his own late double, they couldn't make up the deficit.