Greater Western Sydney defender Zac Williams has been ruled out of Saturday's AFL showdown, with young debutant Jeremy Finlayson to step in against Geelong.
Williams pulled up with a tight hamstring at training on Friday morning, forcing him to withdraw 24 hours before the Spotless Stadium clash that's set to shape the top four.
But unlike some of the longer-term injuries that have ransacked Leon Cameron's ladder-leading squad this season, the coach was optimistic the 22-year-old only faced a one-game lay-off.
"With hamstrings sometimes they can be a bit longer, but we're confident he'll be right for next week," Cameron said.
Williams' absence opens up a huge opportunity for Finlayson, the 21-year-old utility who will be thrown into defence against Chris Scott's third-placed Cats.
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The Riverina product joined the Giants as the 85th pick in the 2014 draft and has spent the past three years developing in the NEAFL.
"It's a huge challenge for him because he steps into an A-grade game first up against the Cats," Cameron said.
"But he's been in some really good form and we really look forward to him doing that and playing his role down the back half.
"He's had some injuries early in his career, but it's a fantastic story where he's come from three years ago to getting his opportunity to play his first game against a really good club.
"It is a huge game because they're third and we're sitting on top."
Williams joins Tim Taranto (ankle), Harry Himmelberg (finger) and Daniel Lloyd (omitted) on the sidelines for GWS, who welcome back big guns Josh Kelly, Devon Smith and Rory Lobb from injury.
Cameron is still preparing his team as if concussed Cats skipper Joel Selwood will play despite his touch-and-go status.
And with Patrick Dangerfield, Mitch Duncan and Cam Guthrie also looming, the midfield battle shapes as explosive for the likes of Dylan Shiel, Callan Ward, Lachie Whitfield and Tom Scully.
Sam Reid's shutdown of Brisbane gun Dayne Zorko last weekend makes it tempting to deploy the 27-year-old as a tagger.
Question is, on who?
"We're looking at that but it's very hard to pick out one (player)," he said.
"You've got Selwood, Dangerfield, Gurthrie, Duncan - you can look across all of them.
"Reidy will definitely roll through the midfield; whether he has a hard tag is a little unsure at this stage."
