Greater Western Sydney can't take a trick, with Jonathan Patton's injury the latest dud card dealt to the AFL premiership hopefuls.
The talent-laden Giants' depth continues to be tested, with hamstring soreness ruling the power forward out of Saturday's crunch clash with Melbourne in Canberra.
"He probably could play, but he only got through about 85 per cent of training," co-captain Callan Ward said.
He joins fellow key position gun Jeremy Cameron (hamstring) and small forward Toby Greene (suspension) on the sidelines.
Patton's withdrawal thrusts 21-year-old Harry Himmelberg, who has re-signed with the club until the end of 2019, into the team, with the 194cm forward set to play his seventh AFL match.
The Giants' decimated forward line ramps up the pressure on Rory Lobb to perform in his 50th game.
"He's ready to step up for us, especially without Jon," Ward said.
Melbourne have their own problems up forward, with spearhead Jesse Hogan set to spend at least four weeks out with a broken collarbone.
And GWS' casualty ward isn't as full as it has been throughout the year.
Classy forward Steve Johnson, ruckman Shane Mumford and star midfield recruit Brett Deledio all return from injury to face the Demons.
The experienced trio injects almost 700 games of experience into the Giants' line-up.
Deledio is set to make his club debut, finally over the calf problems which have plagued him since before switching in the off-season from Richmond.
"You don't play 240 games without hard work and he's done that ever since he walked into this football club," Ward said.
The former Tiger will be a combatant in a crucial midfield battle, with tough ball-winner Nathan Jones and Bernie Vince boosting the Dees' troupe of on-ballers.
"Melbourne play a very-contested brand of footy and we like to play contested footy as well at our best," Ward said.
"The Demons have really big, strong players in there so it's probably a huge key in us winning the game."
Melbourne are second in the competition for contested possessions, ahead of eighth-ranked GWS.
Despite two wins from their past seven matches, the Giants remain third on the ladder, fighting to stay in the top four, while the vastly improved Demons are seventh.
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