THE EXCITING small forward crop at Greater Western Sydney has been depleted, with recruit Toby Bedford and the returning Brent Daniels both injuring hamstrings in last Friday's match simulation drills.
Bedford travelled to Victoria on Monday to visit with specialists after hurting his hamstring tendon and is likely to be sidelined for 10-12 weeks, meaning he will miss the first two months of the season, while Daniels is also nursing another twinge to his troublesome hamstring.
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Daniels missed all of last season with hamstring issues and travelled to the United States over the summer to meet with renowned specialists at the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin.
He is likely to miss both an upcoming intraclub game in Canberra on Saturday, and the Giants' practice match against Gold Coast, though the club still believes he could recover in time for its round one bout with Adelaide on March 19.
Bedford, who arrived from Melbourne during last October's Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period, had been one of the Giants' summer standouts and recently blitzed a 2km time trial where he posted a personal-best time of under six minutes.
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Specialists in Victoria determined he won't require surgery to repair the issue, but he remains likely to miss the opening two months of the season.
Complicating matters for the Giants is that fellow small forward Darcy Jones, who had emerged as a potential round one bolter after arriving at the club with pick No.21 in last year's NAB AFL Draft, is managing a shoulder injury.
The diminutive Jones has a small fracture in his shoulder and is unlikely to return to full training until next week, ruling him out of the Giants' pre-season practice match against the Suns and forcing an uphill battle to be fit for round one.
Speaking to AFL.com.au last month, new Giants coach Adam Kingsley revealed the exciting small forward trio – who didn't play a single game for the club last year – were changing the side's attacking dynamic for the season ahead.
"I think it'll have an enormous impact on our changes," Kingsley said.
"I look at their speed in the front half, I look at their want to get involved – both offensively and defensively – and so far, I've seen their discipline to play their role. I'm pretty excited about what they're going to deliver in the front half."
