No major concern for Giants after Bulldogs blowout
The Giants' hopes took a hit with their heaviest defeat in six years, as the Western Bulldogs ran riot in a 19.18 (132) to 6.8 (44) thrashing at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night.
Kingsley's men were smashed in contested possession (137-86) by a hungry Bulldogs outfit and coughed up 11 of the first 12 goals in an uncompetitive display.
The Giants (13-7) could slide as low as eighth by the end of the round, with home-and-away games against North Melbourne, Gold Coast and St Kilda left to play.
"I'd prefer it didn't happen but we've got an opportunity to respond," Kingsley said after the Bulldogs blowout.
"I'm not overly concerned. I don't think that's us, and it hasn't been us for a long period of time, but it was tonight.
"So we'll review the game well, move on pretty quickly and get to work on what we need to work on."
The 88-point margin was the biggest between two of the remaining final contenders this year, eclipsing Geelong's 78-point thumping of Fremantle in round one.
GWS, who had won their previous six games, were without suspended skipper Toby Greene and injured pair Josh Kelly and Jack Buckley.
But Kingsley was in no mood for making excuses.
"We've been up for a long period of time now ... we've had a big block of games, played some pretty good opposition and done quite well against them," Kingsley said.
"It happens. We don't want it to happen, and certainly not the way that it did happen tonight, but it does.
"So I think we'll accept that and move on pretty quickly."
Greene will return against North Melbourne in Canberra next round but Toby McMullin's season could be over after he sustained a suspected ankle syndesmosis injury against the Bulldogs.
There are also fresh concerns over Coleman medallist Jesse Hogan, whose troublesome foot injury flared.
Hogan, the Giants' leading goal-kicker again this year, went scoreless from just three disposals and finished the match on the bench.
"He's a bit sore with his foot. He couldn't really move around throughout the game," Kingsley said.
"We thought he'd be a little bit better than that but he got a little bit of a knock early in the game when he tried to launch and it just sort of flared up a little bit for him.
"He did his best to manage that but it was a pretty tough night for him from a pain perspective."
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