All quiet on GWS injury front
GWS coach Leon Cameron is excited about a four-year first for his team, which could go into the clash against Geelong with an unchanged side as they look to build on last week’s huge victory over Adelaide.
The win helped ease the pressure on Cameron, who is out of contract at the end of the season, although he conceded the “microscope” would continue to be on him.
Injuries have been a constant scourge for the Giants in recent years and they aren’t untouched in 2022, with key players including Jacob Hopper and veteran defender Phil Davis sidelined for a significant period.
But there were no new additions to the injury list after last weekend’s 59-point take-down of the Crows in Adelaide, as four goals from Toby Greene helped GWS kick its biggest score since 2019.
Greene’s return, after missing the opening five rounds of the season through suspension, has been telling for the Giants, but Cameron said the continuity now at his team’s disposal could be equally as important as they look to take winning momentum into the clash with the Cats in Canberra.
“We’ve probably got a good problem to have. We might go in unchanged for the first time in four years,” Cameron said on Wednesday.
“Continuity is great, what it does is gives the match committee a great chance to pick on form rather than the results of losing players to injuries.
“At this stage it looks like that this week, that if we want to make a change we make it on balance or form. Hopefully, we can sit in that position,
which then leads to continuity and predictability to your squad.”
Cameron said there was no doubt GWS was a much better team with All-australian Greene playing but dismissed a suggestion they were a “oneman band”.
“People are going to line that up and say he was the difference,” Cameron said.
“There is no doubt he adds a different dimension to our forward line when fully wound up. That was his second game and we feel like he’ll get better the more games he plays.
“But by no means are we a one-man band. I thought our mids played their best game of the year to help with that supply to the forward line.”
Jesse Hogan also kicked three goals against the Crows and Cameron hoped the injury-plagued forward could get a good run of games in before the team’s bye next month.
“We just want some continuity now. He had three or four games, we had to give him a spell. Hopefully, he gets another three or four in a row before the bye,” Cameron said.
“He delivers in one of the harder parts of the game and that’s contested marks inside your forward 50. Hopefully, we can deliver some ball to him against the Cats.”