GWS blow with Kelly sidelined
GWS playmaker Josh Kelly will miss tomorrow’s semifinal against an unchanged Collingwood because of a knee injury.
Giants coach Leon Cameron retains hope Kelly, who has been replaced by veteran Ryan Griffen, will be available next week if GWS beats the Pies.
The Giants recalled Lachie Keeffe to play against his former club with Harry Perryman dropped from the side which trounced Sydney in last Saturday’s elimination final.
Collingwood named the same team which slipped to a 16-point loss to West Coast last Saturday night.
GWS boss Cameron said star midfielder Kelly was given every chance to prove his fitness.
“We gave him until Thursday to see how he would be progressing and he’s a good chance to play next week, but we’re not going to take him in against Collingwood,” he said.
Veteran Griffen, 32, hasn’t played since straining a hamstring in Round 22.
“We toyed with the prospect of bringing him in last week,” Cameron said. “He has had a good three or four weeks [training] and he has been really good for us this year.
“He is a finals player, he knows what that MCG atmosphere is going to be like and he’ll come in and play his role.”
Cameron was adamant his players wont be fazed by a proMagpie MCG crowd of around 85,000 spectators.
“We know we’re going to play against not only a fantastic footy team but also a huge crowd,” he said.
“We had that last year against Richmond [in a preliminary final] and we fell short but I felt we handled ourselves pretty well.
“Finals footy is about backing up and we know that if we don’t back up, then Collingwood will beat us, it’s as simple as that.”