So often in the three seasons since Kevin Sheedy first coached Greater Western Sydney in the AFL they looked like kids playing against men.

On Friday night the Giants gave Sheedy a fond farewell with a performance that was the opposite.

Leon Cameron's charges produced a ruthless first half against the troubled Bombers - to whom Sheedy will now return - flying out to a 27 point lead before their opponents nudged the scoreboard and rarely again giving ground.

They kicked five goals to one in the first term and a further five to one in the second to lead 10.6.66 to 2.2.14 at half time. Whether it was a commendable fightback from the Bombers or a Giants side unsure what to do with such a big lead, the third term become a more narrow contest, before GWS eventually ran out 45-point winners.

"We were pleased for about two and a half quarters," Cameron said.

"I thought we dropped off in the last 30 or 40 minutes. We've got to learn from that because probably we haven't been in those sort of positions before.

"Seven or eight goals up at half time probably hasn't happened a lot at this footy club. When they have got a side on the ropes they've got to learn to bury them."

The Bombers were heavy with top-up players still filling in for 2012 listed players who remained sidelined. But they did welcome in some familiar names after last week's big loss to St Kilda, including Joe Daniher, Brendon Goddard and David Zaharakis, as well as Adam Cooney and James Gwilt for their first appearance.

Coach James Hird commended his players for "having a go".

"I thought we got beaten in the contested ball, through the stoppages, through the centre of the ground early in the game and I think our guys lost a bit of confidence and the ability to move the ball after that. But, to their credit, I think after half time we played a lot better," Hird said.

"It's hard to know what to expect, really. We put a team together two weeks ago. We're trying to bring together guys who haven't played together before, guys playing their first games for the year. What do we expect from these games? We expect that everyone has a go, tries their hardest and we see what happens."

Cooney, Goddard and Gwilt saw plenty of the ball but, with GWS completely dominating the clearances 43 to 26, ventures inside 50 metres 55 to 30 and, playing with growing confidence, it remained mostly a one-sided affair.

The Giants had a swathe of players absent, too, including Callan Ward, Ryan Griffen, Joel Patfull, Josh Kelly, Will Hoskin-Elliott and Nick Haynes. But the presence of Shane Mumford, particularly, for the first time this season was telling, with the booming ruckman sparking the clearance rout which set up the first half demolition.

By the end, Heath Shaw had grabbed a game-high 24 possessions for GWS and Lauchlan Dalgleish, with 22, lead Essendon's. Cam McCarthy's composure and game high three goals confirmed his position as a genuine forward option for coach Cameron this season, while Jed Lamb reaped two goals from a fine performance, along with Jack Steele and Rhys Palmer. Kyle Langford and Daniher kicked two each for Essendon, though Daniher was reported for striking during a marking contest with Phil Davis late in the game. Cameron said after the game that Jeremy Cameron was taken off because of a suspected slight concussion.

"We had four or five guys out tonight because we're managing their loads," the coach said.

"For everyone to step in and play their roles, it just shows that they're hungry. We've got a lot of decisions to make about who were going to roll out for the starting 22."

For Essendon, meanwhile, the news that the AFL Anti-Doping tribunal will hand down its decision on March 31, provided mixed emotions.

Hird said it would be impossible for the players to put it out of their minds throughout the rest of the pre-season.

"The players have been resilient, they've been fantastic, they've worked their backsides off, they've tried to give everything they have for two years. But I think we all know it's been in the shadows for a long time. The fact that we're a bit over two weeks from getting a result - I don't think you can keep it out of your mind. It's their careers that they're looking at and they're very conscious that the decision's coming down soon.

"We'll work our hardest to be ready for round one but there's no doubt that the players will be very nervous coming up to the 31st of March."