GREATER Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron says Phil Davis will play again this year as the key defender continues his recovery from a major kidney injury.
Davis remains in hospital, 12 days after sustaining a knock to his kidney in the first quarter of the Giants' stunning season-opening victory over the Sydney Swans at Spotless Stadium.
He is out of intensive care, with the club hoping the 23-year-old will be able to leave hospital later this week.
Many have speculated that Davis' injury could rule him out of 2014 and even be career threatening, but Cameron said on Wednesday his co-captain will return to the backline at some stage this season.
"We think he's going to play this year. Absolutely," Cameron said.
"But whether it's four weeks, eight weeks, we just don't know yet. By the end of the week we'll know more.
"It's obviously a nasty injury that he's copped. He should be out of hospital later this week and we'll get some really, really good information of where he actually progresses from there in terms of his footy.
"But the most important thing is his health and well-being and then once we get an indication of how that's tracking, then we'll start to talk possible comebacks from there."
On the field, Davis' absence makes this week's task of curtailing St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt in their clash at Etihad Stadium that much more difficult.
Riewoldt was in vintage form in the Saints' opening-round win over Melbourne, and Cameron said it would be a case of defence-by-committee as the Giants attempt to limit the impact of the five-time club best and fairest.
"He was really, really good (against the Demons)," Cameron said. "He's been a champion player for 12-to-15 years.
"He's the captain of their footy club, he leads in the right way every week, and I think it'll be a combination of players (that defends him).
"Whether it's (Nick) Haynes and (Sam) Frost and whoever we decide to bring in (to replace Davis) having a go at him, it's going to be a team effort."
The two teams have already met once this year, with the Giants slamming in seven supergoals in an impressive 68-point victory in Wagga Wagga.
Cameron said that result helped give GWS the belief it could challenge the Swans in round one, although he expects a different St Kilda outfit on Saturday afternoon.
"I went down and watched them last Saturday night and they were terrific," Cameron said.
"They're a young side like us. You hang your hat on contested ball and defence, and they were absolutely outstanding at it.
"There's no doubt they're going to bring that this Saturday and we want to bring that too, so it's going to be an outstanding contest."
