After dominating inside 50s against the Pies in Round 9 (61-34) but only managing six marks inside 50 for the game, Walyalup forward Jye Amiss said the team made a direct effort to play to their strengths in the 34-point win over the Giants at Engie Stadium on Saturday.

By half-time of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round game, Walyalup had already registered seven marks inside forward 50 - one more than the previous week’s total.

“It’s been a couple of weeks where we weren’t playing our best footy. We know what our footy looks like when we’re at our best, and I thought today we brought our best. We’ve still got so much more to go, but today was a really good stepping stone,” Amiss said.

“We feel like as a forward group, when we’re playing at our best, that’s our strength - being able to lead and repeat lead. I thought our contest was back close to its best, and we’ll keep bringing that.”

Amiss credited much of the scoreboard dominance to the whole team’s buy-in to roles and team defence, saying that when everyone is in sync and defending well as a unit, the reward often comes going forward.

The Giants recorded a goal accuracy of just 36%, well below the competition average of 58%, and their second-lowest percentage of the season - with Walyalup’s team defence and consistent pressure key to shutting down the Giants' attacking run game.

“Our team defence was back close to our best as well. When we’re defending well we usually get good opportunities going back the other way, so I felt like our smalls - 'Freddy' (Michael Frederick), 'Switta' (Sam Switkowski), 'Duds' (Isaiah Dudley) - I could name them all, I thought they played their role today,” Amiss said.

“Our chase-out pressure, our team defence - being able to force them (GWS) around - I felt like we really took a step forward this week.”

One of Walyalup’s newest defenders, Cooper Simpson, kicked his first-ever AFL goal in the win, with Amiss lauding the 20-year-old’s seamless transition as a forward to his new role down back.

“He’s (Simpson) brought a lot. We saw a bit last week with that run-off half-back,” Amiss said.

“It was a bit weird - we had him in the forward line meetings at the start of the year - but he’s really made that transition and made that role his. It was good to see him do a bit today.”

Simpson has averaged 16 disposals, four marks, and an 81.75% disposal efficiency in his first two games at AFL level off half-back.

Walyalup now takes on Yartapuulti (home) and Gold Coast (away) before the Club’s Round 13 bye.