GIANTS stars Jeremy Cameron, Toby Greene, Josh Kelly, Heath Shaw, Brett Deledio and Adam Tomlinson will all see JLT Community Series action as the pre-season games kick off this week.
Coach Leon Cameron has confirmed Cameron, Kelly, Deledio and Shaw will be available for selection for Saturday night’s pre-season match against the Swans, while Greene and Tomlinson are likely to play the following week in Canberra.
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Co-captains Phil Davis and Callan Ward, along with Stephen Coniglio and Lachie Whitfield, will all be available for selection after taking part in AFLX in Melbourne last Friday night.
“We’re really looking forward to our first genuine hit-out of the 2019 season,” coach Cameron said.
“The boys have been training hard across the entire pre-season and this is the time of year they’re just itching to get back into some really competitive footy.
“We’ll field a good mix of some of our established players, as well as some new faces, which is always exciting for GIANTS fans.
“Our main aim is to just to make sure we get our players ready for round one against the Bombers at Sydney Showground Stadium and the next two matches give us a great opportunity to do that.”
Recently re-signed key defender Nick Haynes will miss the JLT series and is in a race to be fit for round one as he battles a back complaint, but the club won’t rush the important defender.
Meanwhile, small forward Zac Langdon will miss the beginning of the season after sustaining a foot injury at training last week.
GIANTS Head of Athletic Performance David Joyce said the club will take a cautious approach with his recovery.
“Zac sustained a relatively low-grade injury to the Lisfranc complex in his foot during training,” Joyce said.
“It’s certainly not as bad as it could have been, but it’s such an important part of the foot that we won’t be taking any shortcuts with his rehab.
“We expect him to be ready to roll in around six or seven weeks, depending on his progress through this time.”
Langdon had an outstanding debut season in 2018 after being plucked from Perth as a mature-age draft pick. The 23-year-old kicked 21 goals in 21 games, missing just three games with a hand injury early in the season.
“Zac’s had a fantastic pre-season, so while it's disappointing to miss the start of the season, he’s got a great base under his belt,” Joyce said.
“He’ll attack his rehab with his customary energy and discipline, and we look forward to seeing him back playing footy as soon as possible.”
The GIANTS take on the Swans in the first JLT Community Series match at Blacktown International Sportspark at 7:10pm on Saturday, with free entry for all.
The GIANTS’ AFLW team then returns to Blacktown International Sportspark on Sunday as they take on Melbourne at 2:05pm in their final home game of the season in Sydney.
