Greater Western Sydney will be missing midfielder Jacob Hopper for up to six weeks but have re-signed back Matt Buntine, another member of their lengthy casualty list.
Hopper required surgery on a broken finger after last Friday's AFL loss to the Western Bulldogs and joins half a dozen other Giants, who will be sidelined for at least five weeks.
The list includes midfielders Tendai Mzungu who is out for five to seven more weeks with a hamstring problem and Ryan Griffen and Will Setterfield both sidelined for six to eight more weeks with ankle injuries .
Their backline has also been hit hard, with Buntine and Adam Kennedy out for the season with knee injuries and key defender Nick Haynes listed to miss nine more weeks with hamstring damage.
On top of that lot, there's till no approximate return date for prize off-season recruit Brett Deledio, whose Giants debut has been delayed by calf issues.
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In one positive fitness development, forward Sam Reid will be available for Saturday's game with Collingwood at Spotless Stadium, after missing the last round with a minor hamstring injury.
There was also some good news on Tuesday for 23 year-old- Buntine, one of the club's foundation players.
He suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage in round two, but has signed a two year contract extension, tying him to GWS until the end of the 2019 season.
"It's a tremendous show of faith for them," Buntine told AAP.
'To put that amount of time and faith in me to allow me to get my knee right and then to play some good football post that."
