GREATER Western Sydney's decision to play two ruckmen against Collingwood seems like a gamble, but coach Leon Cameron believes Shane Mumford and Dawson Simpson can combine to quell the influence of Brodie Grundy.
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When Mumford was cleared to return from two weeks out with knee soreness, it seemed an automatic decision that Cameron would send Simpson back to the NEAFL.
However, both big men will take on the Pies at Giants Stadium on Saturday in a bid to counter Grundy and help an undermanned GWS midfield unit gain some ascendency around the ball.
Shane Mumford will play alongside Dawson Simpson for the first time with the Giants. Picture: AFL Photos
Mumford and Simpson are powerful figures in the contest but lack mobility around the ground, an area of great strength in Grundy's game, but Cameron backed his men to take on the task.
"He's obviously a very, very good player, he's the standout ruckman of the competition," he said of the star Magpie.
"Grundy spends 95 per cent of the game on the ground and he's predominantly in the ruck, so it's going to be a huge challenge for our boys, but we believe we can take it up to them.
"You're always going to weigh up the positives (versus the negatives) at match committee, but we feel as though we're going to get a positive outcome from it.
"We feel as though we've got enough runners to run the game out, but time will tell."
Star midfielder Stephen Coniglio was an interested onlooker at training on Friday after arriving back in Sydney on Thursday.
The 25-year-old has surgery in Melbourne to repair cartilage damage in his left knee, and isn't likely to play again this year unless the Giants can play multiple finals.
Youngsters Jackson Hately, Aiden Bonar, Jye Caldwell and Nick Shipley were expected to fight it out to come in for the vice-captain, but Cameron said the decision to use two ruckmen against the Magpies made it hard to pick another onballer.
Club champions Toby Greene and Lachie Whitfield, along with forwards Harry Himmelberg and Jeremy Finlayson, are set to see some midfield minutes this week.
It's going to be a huge challenge for our boys, but we believe we can take it up to them - Leon Cameron on taking on Brodie Grundy
With Coniglio, Josh Kelly (calf), Callan Ward (knee) and Matt de Boer (shoulder) all on the injured list, more pressure and responsibility will fall on emerging leaders Tim Taranto (21 years of age) and Jacob Hopper (22) against the Pies.
It's a monster task for the pair against stars like Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, and former Giants Adam Treloar and Taylor Adams.
"It's a huge opportunity and challenge for those two boys, they're going to play a lot of midfield time against probably the best midfield in the competition," Cameron said.
"Those two guys are looking forward to it, they like a challenge.
"It's exciting for us and we look forward to it.
"We've got a very good midfield, but it's an opportunity to take it up to one of the best midfields in the competition.
"Clearly they've got a very good ruckman and clearly they've got some great onballers, so we've got to make sure we walk off the ground knowing that we got the stoppage battle right."
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