RULE Greater Western Sydney out at your peril.

Vice-captain Alicia Eva has offered that warning to critics drawing a line through the Giants' finals hopes.

This time last year, the Giants had just one win – the same record they have this year – but motored home to finish only two points and percentage behind Grand Finalist Brisbane.

A last-round victory over the Lions would have seen them face the Western Bulldogs for the 2018 AFLW premiership.

The conference system has worked in the Giants' favour this year, with Sunday's drought-busting win over Collingwood at Morwell in Victoria's east leaving them only a game behind second-placed Geelong for a preliminary final spot.

AFLW Match Highlights: Collingwood v GWS The Magpies and Giants clash in round 4 of the AFLW Share via Facebook

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Eva produced her best solo performance of the season against the Magpies, according to her coach Alan McConnell, starring against her old side with an equal game-high 22 disposals,

But she was quick to praise fellow midfielder Rebecca Beeson as "by far" the team's "most consistent performer".

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The tough 27-year-old credited McConnell's week-long theme for his players to embrace "consistent competitiveness" as the key to their form turnaround.

"We were in a similar position last year. When we drew against Adelaide (in round four), people were saying, 'That's (the Giants) dead and buried'," Eva told womens.afl.

"But we put our heads down and kept working … then we found ourselves in a position where we were playing (for a spot in) the Grand Final.

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"We've got another big game this week in Sydney (against Melbourne) and we'll take great momentum from this game.

"Now we've got that first win on the board, like with any team, the ball starts rolling a bit easier for you."