A sell-out crowd watched the GWS Giants host the Melbourne Demons at Manuka Oval with 14,274 fans pouring through the gates for the top-eight clash.

The huge turnout dwarfed the 9771 fans at the ACT Brumbies Super Rugby quarter-final against the Hurricanes two weeks ago and was 159 more than the Canberra Raiders' last home game.

Canberra football fans cite cold weather for staying at home and it must be noted Manuka Oval was bathed in sunshine for the afternoon fixture with the temperature hovering about 10 degrees.

But capital sports fans also love a winner and the Giants crowds were poor in the early days when they struggled. But they have now won eight of their past nine games at Manuka, while the Brumbies and Raiders both have losing records this season.

The game was played at a ferocious pace from start to finish in a perfect example of why AFL is Australia's most watched football code at the ground and on television.

Goal of the year contender wakes sleeping Giants

Giants midfielder Stephen Coniglio got the Giants off the mark with a contender for goal after he threaded the needle with a left-foot banana under pressure from an impossible angle in the pocket.

The incredible major kick-started the Giants attack as Tom Scully goaled moments later when his shot looked destined for a behind before it bounced and produced a leg break that Shane Warne would have been proud of.

AFL Canberra export Harrison Himmelberg turned on a dime and snapped next to make it three goals in three minutes as GWS took the lead for the first time.

The Giants didn't stop there as Steve Johnson and Josh Kelly bagged doubles, before Dylan Shiel completed a devastating run of 52 unanswered points to hold a 54-18 quarter time lead.

The eight goal effort was a small slice of history for the Giants as it marked their best opening quarter in club history.

Veteran commentator Anthony Hudson called the scoring run a "tsunami of attack" and labelled it the best string of goals from any side this season.

Impressively, the Giants did it without three of their best attacking threats in Jeremy Cameron, Jonathon Patton and Toby Greene.

Mumford heading for a week

Giants ruckman Shane Mumford could be in trouble with the match review committee after slinging debutant Corey Maynard in a carbon copy of the tackle that ended Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield's Brownlow Medal chances.

Maynard is a former NBL player and found out the hard way he doesn't play a non-contact sport anymore but he wasn't concussed in the incident.

That was the only difference from Dangerfield's sling and only time will tell if there is a different set of rules for tackles that cause injury.

If he escapes sanction he could still be in trouble for a second incident in the third term after a ruthless bump made contact with the head of opposition ruckman Max Gawn.

The incidents didn't affected his performance though with Mumford throwing his 199cm frame into 12 tackles, while he finished with 11 touches and a goal.

But he shouldn't be expecting to feature in the Giants crucial clash against reigning premier the Western Bulldogs next week.

Form slump snapped...and possibly a bone?

It was one of the Giants best performances of the season but that didn't stop Leon Cameron from punching the coaching booth door after Lachie Whitefield missed a goal and the coach reportedly needed medical attention.

The victory marked back-to-back wins for the first time in two months as the 35-point drubbing well and truly puts their maiden premiership tilt back on track.

It also lifted GWS into second on the ladder and with the Bulldogs, West Coast and Geelong on the run home they must win two more games to finish in the top four and secure a double chance.