JEREMY Cameron is going to find it extremely difficult to watch the next few games of footy.
Greater Western Sydney's star forward, suspended for five matches by the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday, will be stuck in the stands while his team's finals chances are likely decided one way or another.
The 10th-placed Giants face ninth-placed Hawthorn on Saturday night and a loss would see them slip a game and a half plus percentage behind the Hawks.
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If other round 15 results go against them as expected, Melbourne (sixth), Geelong (seventh) and North Melbourne (eighth) will also pull away.
Then there's another brutal three-week stretch to contend with.
The Giants fly to Perth to take on West Coast before returning to Spotless Stadium to host Richmond, then hit the road again to face an in-form Port Adelaide.
After that, it's a clash with St Kilda.
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At any stage of the season the next month would be a massive test, but without their leading goalkicker, and Toby Greene, Tom Scully and Zac Williams also missing, it's a monumental task.
The Giants were written off earlier this season after four straight losses but the return of star midfielder Josh Kelly, a marked improvement in their defensive pressure, and a resurgence in Cameron's form – he's kicked 12 goals in their past three wins – put the rest of the League on notice that the Giants shouldn't be ignored.
But how do they remain a contender without such a key member of their front half, and a player capable of winning games of footy of his own mercurial boot?
The Giants are 5-6 in their history without Cameron in the 22, and their average score drops from 99 points per game to 85.
This season he's their No.1 target inside 50 (9.1 per game), with Jon Patton next at less than half that amount (4.5).
It'll need a collective team effort to cover Cameron's absence but Patton has the presence to impose himself on games, and while he hasn't shown it much this year, being the No.1 man inside 50 could be enough for him to find his best touch.
Cameron will be back to face the struggling Blues in round 20 and by that time the Giants will know their 2018 fate.
Will the suspension of its most dynamic forward send GWS crashing out of finals contention and end this year's premiership tilt?
Or can the playing group galvanise and maintain their current form to push their way into the eight by the time Cameron is back on the park?
Only time will tell. It's going to be a massive month of footy.
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