A POSSIBLE debutant is among a trio of Greater Western Sydney first-round picks set to battle it out to replace injured star Stephen Coniglio in the Giants' midfield.
With the gun onballer likely to miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery this week, the Giants are set to choose between Jackson Hately, Aiden Bonar and potential first-gamer Jye Caldwell to fill Coniglio's spot.
Hately may have the upper hand given he has been the best performed of the trio across the whole season and last week gathered 33 disposals in the Giants' NEAFL win over the NT Thunder in Darwin.
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He has also performed serviceably in his four senior games so far in his first year at the club, averaging nearly 18 disposals.
However, AFL.com.au understands Caldwell will be considered for his first AFL game after also playing well in the NEAFL, when he gathered 27 disposals.
It was only his second game back from injury, and given his history with soft-tissue concerns, the Giants may opt to go cautious and give the 18-year-old one more week at the lower level.
Jye Caldwell in action during the JLT Community Series. Picture: AFL Photos
However, Caldwell, who was the Giants' first pick at last year's NAB AFL Draft at No.11 overall, offers some more explosive pace and power from the stoppages than Hately and could be a point of difference to their other midfield options in lieu of Coniglio.
Bonar has been consistent at NEAFL level across the year and could come into the side and play in the forward line, where he managed four games for five goals last season at AFL level.
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If he was included in the Giants' team to face Collingwood on Saturday night at Giants Stadium, it would likely indicate more midfield time for star Toby Greene.
Greene, who started his career as a ball-winner before having a huge impact around goal, went into the midfield last week with Coniglio missing almost the entire game against the Tigers and gathered 34 disposals and two goals in one of the best games of his season.
The Giants could also choose to play veteran Brett Deledio more in the midfield as they plan to take on the Magpies without first-choice midfielders Coniglio, Callan Ward (knee), Josh Kelly (calf) and Matt de Boer (shoulder).