GWS veteran Callan Ward will spend up to six weeks on the sidelines because of a knee injury, ensuring the AFL club’s midfield will be under even more pressure in Saturday’s clash with Brisbane.
The Giants, who rank 11th in clearances and 17th in inside-50s this season, sit outside the top eight and next face big tests at home against the Lions then Richmond.
The struggles of Stephen Coniglio, appointed captain in the off-season after signing a seven-year deal, have been particularly well documented in recent weeks.
A Fox Footy report suggested GWS were considering whether to axe Coniglio for Saturday’s match at Giants Stadium, such was their concern about the captain’s form.
Ward’s setback, which the veteran on-baller suffered when a kick of his was smothered in Sunday’s loss to Port Adelaide, means that selection bombshell is even less likely to transpire.
Fit-again star Tim Taranto returned in a scratch match and is set to take Ward’s place in the team, while the club is upbeat that mid-sized forward Daniel Lloyd could recover from concussion and tackle the Lions.
The good news for GWS is that Ward will not require surgery to fix the lateral collateral ligament; and that the former skipper didn’t injure the left knee that required a reconstruction in 2019.
However, the injury means that last year’s grand finalists must dig deep during a crucial stretch of the stop-start season without arguably their most inspirational midfielder.
“The midfield part of the ground has been a very big strength of ours. Stoppages, clearances and scores from those sources in the last two or three years, we’ve always been top four or five,” key defender Phil Davis said.
“At the moment we’re not at that level.
“The midfield group are frustrated.
“There are a few things going wrong they’re trying to address and they’re working very hard at it … I’ve got full faith and trust they’ll be back to their best in no time.”
Davis, who shared the captaincy duties from the club’s inception until passing the reins on to Coniglio, was surprised to read the report that claimed the skipper could be dropped.
“He’s a star player and also the fabric of the footy club,” Davis said.
“He’s the captain of the footy club for a reason. He’s one of the best midfielders in the comp for a reason.
“There’s no doubt he always wants to play better, but we all want to … I’m sure 17 other clubs would pick him within two seconds if he was available.”