GREATER Western Sydney has suffered a big blow ahead of arguably the toughest test in the AFL at the moment, against Brisbane at the Gabba, with gun ruck Kieren Briggs almost certain to miss.
The 24-year-old, who is sixth overall in the competition for total clearances, is battling shoulder soreness.
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Barring a miraculous recovery, he won't travel north to take on Oscar McInerney at the Gabba on Saturday, with veteran Lachie Keeffe set to come in and play his first game of the season.
"Briggsy's managing some shoulder stuff so he's unlikely this week," Giants coach Adam Kingsley said.
"We'll reassess tomorrow but he was sore post game, six-day break, travel.
"I don't expect him to get up."
Stephen Coniglio trained fully on Thursday as he fights to return from a shoulder injury, but the Giants will wait to see how he pulls up before guaranteeing his place in the team to face Brisbane.
Fellow gun midfielder Josh Kelly is a certainty to play after fully recovering from a calf injury.
Keeffe, 34, was a handy part of the Giants' premiership push last year but hasn't played in the AFL since their one-point loss to Collingwood at the MCG in the preliminary final.
With Jake Riccardi out with a finger injury and back-up rucks Braydon Preuss and Nick Madden not in a physical condition to play, Keeffe is set to assume No.1 ruck duties against the Lions.
"I think he will. We've had a few injuries with our ruck stocks so it feels like Keeffey's the next man in and he's more than capable," Kingsley said.
"We're comfortable that he can mix it with a really good ruckman up there in McInerney.
"It's going to be a big challenge but he's a smart guy, he's been around the AFL a long time. I'm sure he'll embrace his opportunity."
Despite his move into the midfield inspiring the Giants' five-goal comeback in the final term to beat Hawthorn last week, dynamo Brent Daniels will be saved for sporadic onball shifts.
"He's a really important player for us in front of the ball as well as that pinch hit on the ball when we need it. He might spend more time in the midfield, but I'd expect him to start ahead of the ball," said Kingsley.
Toby Bedford is set to tag two-time Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale amid his scintillating run of form over the past three months.
"It's pretty obvious but they've got a really strong midfield, [Hugh] McCluggage hits the scoreboard and is really important for their transition game. We know Neale's quality and [Josh] Dunkley is a player who will probably come to one of our blokes," Kingsley said.
"They'll pose some threats, I'm sure we'll pose some threats to them, whoever handles it better probably gets the job done."
Off the back of five wins in a row, the Giants have started to gather similar momentum to last year as finals near, but with a difficult run home that includes Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs, they can't afford any slip-ups if they want to hold onto their top-four place.
And their coach concedes this week's challenge against a Brisbane side that has waltzed into premiership favouritism following nine wins in a row is the toughest in the game right now.
"Not at the moment, no (is there a more difficult test) that's right up there. They've lost one game since we played them in round seven. They're in great form, they're a terrific team," he said.
"McInerney's a really strong ruckman, hard to move, slaps the ball forward and they surge onto it, it feels a little like the early 2000s Lions with Jamie Charman in there at times and Clark Keating.
"They've got Brownlow medallists sitting under the feet of the ruckman so it's a big challenge.
"We're really confident in our game, I don't think we've put a complete game together by any stretch of the imagination but I feel pretty comfortable that we're in really good form. We'll back ourselves in and attack it as best we can."
