The GIANTS have a selection dilemma ahead of round one with a host of tall forwards jostling for a position in their best 22.

206cm ruckman Rory Lobb impressed coach Leon Cameron with his athletic display as the GIANTS went down to the Dogs in the NAB Challenge opener in Canberra on Thursday night.

Lobb played nine games as a ruckman/forward in the second half of last year with Shane Mumford out injured and showed glimpses of ability, but stood out with his strength in the air in the first hit out of 2016.

The raw West Australian took five contested marks, finished with two goals, and probably should have finished with four to give GWS a mobile target inside 50.

"He's one of those young kids that’s coming into his third year, he's starting to develop, and he actually came back (to training) midway through October to try and get a jump on all the boys," Cameron said.

"You can clearly see that he wants to make a statement this year.

"He's taking some really strong marks, and his kicking has improved.

"He knows he's got a long way to go in some other areas of his game, but if he continues on with that sort of presence out there, then he's clearly looking to (put his) stamp on one of those 22 spots for round one.

"As he gets older and we get more kilos on him then he'll be more aggressive in the ruck, but we're really rapt by the way he's progressing."