The Greater Western Sydney Giants remain confident that ongoing injury setbacks will not derail their recent resurgence as they prepare to face St Kilda this weekend. After a mid-season surge highlighted by consecutive victories over Brisbane and Melbourne, the Giants are aiming to build on their improved form.

Under coach Adam Kingsley, the team has shown signs of returning to the style that propelled them earlier in the season, demonstrating strong performances against two top-10 opponents. However, injuries continue to impact the squad. While key defender Sam Taylor returned for the win against Melbourne, other players face extended absences. Jack Buckley is sidelined with a hamstring injury expected to keep him out for about a month, and Jake Riccardi faces a two-month recovery period after sustaining a syndesmosis injury. Jesse Hogan is progressing well from a hip injury and is targeting a return against St Kilda, contingent on passing full training on Friday.

Captain Lachie Whitfield acknowledged the frustration of frequent injuries but praised the team’s young players for stepping up amid the challenges. “Unfortunately, it’s too normal,” Whitfield said, referencing the regular cycle of players going out and coming back. He expressed optimism about Taylor and Buckley’s partnership once they regain continuity on the field and highlighted the contributions of emerging players like Conor Stone and Toby McMullin, who has adapted well after moving from midfield to defense.

Whitfield reflected on the team’s uneven start to the season and the significance of their recent string of wins. “We were disappointed with a lot of games in the front half of the season. Our season was on a knife’s edge there for a bit, so it was good to be able to get back to an even ledger,” he said. Despite their improvement, the Giants remain below where they aspire to be on the ladder but believe they can quickly refine their game style and capitalize on momentum.

The recent bye provided an opportunity to rest and regroup ahead of the upcoming fixture, a break Whitfield used to introduce his newborn son Jude to family in Melbourne. The 31-year-old, one of the Giants’ most consistent performers this season, averaging 29.4 disposals and 5.5 score involvements per game from half-back, spoke candidly about the adjustments of balancing elite sport and fatherhood. Drawing support from teammates like Toby Greene and Harry Himmelberg, who have also recently become fathers, Whitfield described a period of rapid adaptation and the importance of effective time management.

“My wife’s doing all the heavy lifting, and she’s doing a great job allowing me to get enough sleep before training and games,” Whitfield said. “Time management’s now really important—something I’ve never really been good at, but had to get good at fast. I’m trying to help out where I can, but then make sure I’m switching on to footy and really differentiating both of those roles.”

With key players returning and younger members stepping up, the Giants look to maintain their momentum against St Kilda as they strive to solidify their position in the competition moving forward.