The Giants’ “human clamp” Matt de Boer could have multiple targets in Saturday’s AFL elimination home final against Western Bulldogs, while a rare abundance of fit players will provide GWS with some pleasant headaches.
Apart from the season ending injuries to co-captain Callan Ward and key forward Jon Patton the vast majority of the key Giants are now fit, or will be ready to return, if GWS go deeper into the finals.
Key back Nick Haynes is progressing well in his recovery from a fractured cricoid in his throat, but still has to prove himself fit at Wednesday’s training session. Re-signed midfielder Stephen Coniglio will miss a seventh straight game with a knee injury.
On the plus side, Toby Greene and Jacob Hopper return from injury this week and veteran Brett Deledio is set to put his hand up for Saturday, after making a quicker than expected progress from his latest calf injury.
Coach Leon Cameron suggested Green would switch between midfield and attack, but was happy to have virtually all his main forwards available for the first time in several weeks.,
“We’ve got 40 players to pick from, we probably haven’t had that for six or eight weeks or the majority of the year, so that’s great,” Cameron said.
“That means the pressure is on for spots.”
The Bulldogs belted GWS by 61 points at Giants Stadium under a month ago in round 22.
But key players Josh Kelly and de Boer, both of who returned in that game after several weeks on the sidelines, have had another match and more weeks of training under their belt.
Cameron admitted de Boer was outpointed by Dogs’ champ Marcus Bontempelli in that game, and said the Bont was one of several players his ace tagger could follow.
” He had a fair stint at Bontempelli a few weeks ago and then he had patches on (Jack) Macrae as well,” Cameron said.
‘There’s options with (Jason) Johannisen, who’s a terrific player in his own right and (Matthew) Suckling off their half-back line and then you’ve got (Lachie) Hunter, who’s an outstanding winger.
“(Josh) Dunkley has had an outstanding year, so whoever we turn to in that role, in terms of Matt performing, we’re confident that he can get it done.”
De Boer’s harrying of the opposition’s star players is certainly appreciated by his teammates.
“The human clamp, I like to call him,” joked Hopper, who returns after missing three games with a hamstring injury.
“He just loves getting any assignment the type of person he is, but I feel sorry for whoever he does get, because I’d hate it.”.