Giants talismanic All-Australian defender to miss start of 2026

The scourge of pre-season injuries has wreaked havoc in Western Sydney, with four of the Giants' best facing stints on the pine.

A high-grade hamstring strain for one of the competition's premier key defenders has marred the return of AFL Origin, after Sam Taylor left the field citing 'awareness' in the area. That awareness has since been confirmed, via scans, to be a rather severe strain. A recovery timeline is not yet available, but the club is preparing for the 26-year-old to be out for the first handful of games.

The cruel blow compounds what was already a mounting toll for Kingsley and co., with the club confirming the suspected injuries to other needle movers in a statement on Monday night.

Reigning Kevin Sheedy medallist Tom Green will not see any football in 2026, after rupturing his ACL during the Giants' intraclub on Friday, in a devastating blow for the club's finals chances. The midfield bull was attempting to evade a tackle, with the sudden change of direction ultimately felling him.

The Giants have the option of opening a list spot in the wake of Green's injury.

Runner-up in last year's best and fairest, Finn Callaghan, will miss the club's two scratch matches with a hip flexor strain but has his sights set on his side's Opening Round clash with Hawthorn.

Toby Bedford has emerged as one of the league's best role players since his defection from the Demons, performing a suite of roles for Adam Kingsley over his tenure in the orange and charcoal. However, Kingsley will be without the use of the West Australian's heralded utility for up to six weeks, following a more moderate hamstring strain of his own, also occurring in Friday's intraclub.

All eyes now turn to role players and recruits alike, with the burden of ball-winning falling to a man who was once league-best in that department - Clayton Oliver.

The Giants face a tricky first month of fixtures, too, with clashes with rivals the Western Bulldogs, a St Kilda side expected to be on the rise, and last year's preliminary finalists Collingwood coming after their March 7th rendezvous with the Hawks.