GWS coach Adam Kingsley believes State of Origin football should be moved away from February, which he declares it as the "highest risk month".
Kingsley will be without All-Australian defender Sam Taylor for the medium term after the Giant suffered a high-grade hamstring injury in Saturday's clash.
Taylor wasn't the only one who will be sidelined, with reigning Brownlow medallist Matt Rowell heading in for surgery on his finger. He will miss the beginning of the season.
Callum Ah Chee and Mitch Georgiades suffered hamstring strains, while Jacob Weitering fractured his rib. All three are in a race to be available for the start of 2026.
"To me it's more about the timing of the game. Are we a much better chance of protecting our players if that game sits in the middle of the year, if we have a unified bye," Kingsley said on SEN.
"I think our players are a lot more conditioned in that time of the year. It was a long game, it was an intense game – there was a lot of run in it. It was fantastic to watch.
"I just wonder whether or not the timing is in the middle of the year as opposed to February which is probably the highest risk month in the year, for all sorts of injuries."
Kingsley also said that he wished captain Toby Greene's Origin minutes were managed better, as he dealt with an interrupted pre-season.
Greene just made it the line for the revival contest, but the Giants were hopeful he played less than the 66 per cent game time given his preparation.
"There was that question asked," Kingsley said.
"I was pretty keen for Toby to be involved in it, for what he's done for the game and how desperate he was to play but I would've liked him to manage his minutes a little better."
The Giants are also counting the cost of a pre-season from hell, with Tom Green ruled out of 2026 with an ACL injury.
Adding to the woes is Toby Bedford (hamstring) and Finn Callaghan (hip flexor). Bedford will miss at least a month, while Callaghan is still within a shot for Opening Round against Hawthorn.
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