Enigmatic key forward Jesse Hogan is set to play his first AFL game for the GIANTS, with coach Leon Cameron all but guaranteeing his call-up after his injury-depleted side suffered a 39-point defeat at the hands of the Western Bulldogs.

The Dogs led by three points at three-quarter time on a cold Friday night in Canberra, but slammed through nine goals in the final term to score a 15.14 (104) to 9.11 (65) win at Manuka Oval.

After two wins in a row, it was the GIANTS' second-lowest score of a disappointing season to date that sees them outside the eight after six rounds with a 2-4 win-loss record.

The GIANTS will next play the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, May 1.

Hogan has kicked three and four goals respectively in the opening two rounds of the VFL season.

"We're rapt with the way he's going," Cameron said.

"He's going to be cherry ripe now ... we were rapt with his performance.

"He'll be putting his hand up ready to go. He's done everything right in three weeks and we look forward welcoming him into our team.

"Without confirming it right now he's clearly a massive chance to play next weekend."

Melbourne paid a king's ransom to claim talented junior Hogan in the 2012 mini-draft, but after 71 games and 152 goals it didn't work out and he was traded to Fremantle at the end of 2018.

He played 19 games, kicking 18 goals, for the Dockers before he was traded to the GIANTS at the end of the 2020 season.

His progress at his new club was slowed by a quad injury that ruined his pre-season preparation.

But after finding form and fitness, Hogan's inclusion could be a major boost for a side that troubled the in-form Bulldogs for three quarters.

"We probably tried to drag them down a little bit to (our) level," Cameron said.

"I thought we did that for about three quarters and then they just opened up with some really good handballs.

"They're a good side ... at 6-0 you're clearly doing something right."