GREATER Western Sydney ruck recruit Braydon Preuss has suffered another injury blow that could rule him out for the rest of the season.
The luckless ruckman will undergo surgery after tearing his right pectoral muscle while using the bench press in the Giant's gym on Tuesday. He is expected to miss at least three months, and up to five.
Preuss was set to play for the Giants' VFL team for the first time this week after recovering from a left shoulder reconstruction that has sidelined him since the pre-season.
The Giants said that the tear to Preuss's right pectoral muscle is unrelated to the earlier shoulder injury on the other side of his body.
The big man – who stands at 206 cm and 113kg – arrived at the Giants in last year's Trade Period from Melbourne, after an earlier stint at North Melbourne, but is yet to play a game for his new club.
Preuss has played 18 matches in total since making his debut for the Kangaroos in 2017.
"Scans on Tuesday afternoon revealed he's torn his right pec muscle and he'll consult a specialist on Wednesday," said Cullan Ball, the Giants' head of medical.
"We expect he'll undergo surgery and is likely to be sidelined for three to five months."