Brett Deledio will be missing from the GWS Giants team for their opening round AFL match, but exciting youngster Tim Taranto has staked another claim to be there after surviving a huge hit from Lance Franklin.
The Giants' 12-point pre-season loss to Sydney on Friday was overshadowed by GWS coach Leon Cameron's post-match revelation that prize recruit Deledio would miss the round one clash with Adelaide after re-injuring his calf.
Deledio has become increasingly injury-prone in recent times, missing 11 matches in his final season with Richmond last year.
While Cameron doesn't think Deledio would be out for any length of time, the injury potentially opened up a another place in the team for Taranto.
Taken second in last year's national draft, 19-year-old Taranto has performed well in each of the Giants first two pre-season games.
Already branded "the weapon" by his teammates, Taranto had his toughness tested in the first quarter on Friday, when he was on the end of a hard but fair hit from Franklin.
The youngster went straight to the bench but quickly returned and demonstrated his attacking skills in the second quarter with a beautifully taken goal.
"He's a tough player for a first-year player," Cameron said.
"He got hit in the stomach he was a bit winded, it was a good hit from Buddy.
"But credit to the kid he got up straight away and within four or five minutes he was back out there.
"We really admire that about him ,he puts his head over the footy and we were rapt with him getting back out there.
"I think it was just a really good example of a young kid trying to earn his stripes at a footy club.
"When he got going again I thought he was a pretty good player."
Veterans Shane Mumford and Steve Johnson each had their first hit-out of the campaign after recovering from off-season surgery.
"There was some areas that they needed to be a little bit better at, but there was also some pleasing things," Cameron said.
"I look forward to them having a good hit-out next week on Friday night and then hopefully that prepares them ready to go for round one against the Crows."
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