GWS have been dealt a blow with co-captain Callan Ward ruled out for around six weeks with a knee injury.
The hard-nut midfielder picked up the knock early in the club's JLT fixture against Sydney but played out the rest of the match.
Despite reports downplaying the seriousness of the injury, it has been revealed that the 28-year-old suffered a strain to his lateral collateral ligament.
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The Giants haven't put a timeframe on a return but he is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks, ruling him out of the start of the season.
Ward hasn't missed a senior game in four seasons and has played all bar five matches in the club's history.
His injury is a big blow for the club though could open the door for the likes of Tim Taranto as well as draftees Jackson Hately and Jye Caldwell to step up.
While Phil Davis is Ward's co-captain, vice-captain Stephen Coniglio has been given the nod to lead the club out against Adelaide.
The seriousness of Ward's injury appears to have caught the Giants off guard, with veteran Brett Deledio earlier declaring it was "nothing too serious".
"He pulled up a bit sore after," Deledio told RSN.
"But he played out the next two-and-a-half quarters and he said, 'I feel pretty good'.
"I don't think he'll play this week, I'm not sure. But he's a bit sore and he needs some managing at the moment. We'll wait and see, but it's nothing too serious."
The Giants will take on the Crows in their JLT clash at Canberra Oval on Friday, March 8.
