Injured GWS star Josh Kelly’s availability for a knockout semi-final against Collingwood will become clearer when the AFL club receives scan results on his damaged knee on Monday.
Kelly limped off the SCG late in the first quarter of Saturday’s elimination final against Sydney and played no further part in the match, which the Giants won by 49 points.
GWS believe the star midfielder, among their most important players, has a torn meniscus.
“It could be minor,” coach Leon Cameron said.
“We’re not ruling out next week. Touch wood.
“It’d be great to see him get up next week.”
The Giants aren’t the only premiership contenders with injury issues.
Hawthorn’s Ben Stratton and West Coast’s Brad Sheppard will battle to take any further part in the finals series after suffering hamstring injuries.
Scans showed Stratton’s injury to his right hamstring is not severe, but he won’t play in this week’s semi-final against Melbourne and will need a lot to go his way to play in a potential grand final.
Sheppard’s injury is feared to be much worse, the Eagles defender potentially suffering tendon damage early in his side’s win over Collingwood at Optus Stadium.
Tigers star Alex Rance copped a knee to his left foot against the Hawks but was able to play out the game.
Clubs will keep close tabs on a host of star players who returned from injury in the first week of the finals.
They include Melbourne’s Jack Viney (toe), West Coast’s Josh Kennedy (shin), GWS trio Toby Greene (hamstring), Zac Williams (achilles) and Brett Deledio (calf) and Collingwood’s Tyson Goldsack (knee), Adam Treloar (hamstring) and Jeremy Howe (thigh).