GWS Giants' Pre-Season Injury Crisis Deepens with Callaghan Sidelined
The GWS Giants' pre-season preparations have suffered another significant setback with star midfielder Finn Callaghan becoming the latest player to join the club's growing injury list. Callaghan is expected to be sidelined for at least the next two weeks due to a tight hip flexor, creating a race against time for his availability in the Giants' Opening Round clash against Hawthorn on March 7, which is just 19 days away.
Injury Details and Management
GWS football boss Jason McCartney confirmed the news during an interview with SEN on Monday, stating that Callaghan had been managing the hip flexor issue and would likely miss a couple of weeks as a precautionary measure. "Finn Callaghan's had a bit of a tight hip flexor that he's been managing and he's probably going to miss a couple of weeks, we think," McCartney explained. "We got a precautionary scan yesterday and there's just something minor there so we're just going to have to manage that as well."
Growing Injury List Puts Pressure on Giants
Callaghan's injury adds to an already alarming injury toll for the Giants during the pre-season period. He joins fellow on-baller Tom Green, who likely ruptured his ACL during training last week and is expected to miss the entire 2026 season. Green's injury occurred on the same day that Toby Bedford suffered a hamstring strain, while superstar defender Sam Taylor was forced to sit out the second half of last Saturday's AFL Origin game due to hamstring awareness.
The Giants were already anticipating extended absences for Josh Kelly (hip) and Darcy Jones (knee) for significant portions of the upcoming season. This mounting injury crisis has raised questions about whether the club needs to reconsider its training approach.
Training Philosophy Under Scrutiny
When asked if the club required an overhaul of its training program given the concerning injury toll, McCartney acknowledged that the topic had been discussed internally. He emphasized the delicate balance required in pre-season preparation, noting that training close to the edge is essential for player readiness.
"Adam Kingsley and myself were talking about that yesterday," McCartney revealed. "The thing is, we know it's a marathon, but getting the players ready, it's walking a really fine line because you're on the edge. It's no good rolling your team out that looks good on paper but they aren't prepared for Opening Round and Round 1, because you only risk injury and poor performance then anyway."
McCartney pointed out that other clubs across the competition have faced similar challenges during this period of intense pre-season loading. "Obviously we're on the edge. There have been a number of clubs, obviously when they come back in January, that first week back was a bit of a red flag for everyone. And this period of a week or so too, talking to a number of other clubs, everyone seems to have come off about a week ago which was their biggest load in the pre-season. So it's a fine line that we all balance."
Midfield Responsibility Shifts to New Recruit
The absence of key midfielders Green and Callaghan, along with Bedford, suddenly places significant responsibility on new recruit Clayton Oliver. Oliver's last two years at Melbourne were marked by off-field controversy, injuries, and declining on-field form. The 2021 premiership Demon, who was contracted until 2030, departed after being informed he did not fit into the club's midfield plans under new coach Steven King.
Oliver readily admitted that his form had declined since Melbourne's drought-breaking premiership amid a series of personal challenges. The 28-year-old revealed that the remarkable transformation of former Melbourne teammate Jesse Hogan, who he has reunited with at the Giants, has provided him with renewed optimism.
"It's obviously quite impressive what Jesse's done, and a bit of hope for a lot of players out there who've gone through a few different things in their career," Oliver said. "I've had my fair share of downs over the last couple of years, so hopefully a few things are going up."
Teammate Support and Optimism
Hogan expressed full confidence in Oliver's ability to revitalize his career at GWS, drawing parallels to his own successful reboot since joining the Giants from Fremantle at the end of 2020. Describing his earliest memories of a "chubby" Oliver, Hogan noted that the new recruit has been demonstrating exceptional dedication during pre-season, often being the first player to arrive and the last to leave training sessions.
"As soon as there was a chance that Clayton was on the move, I was straight on the blower to Adam Kingsley," Hogan revealed. "To say, 'Let's get him. Let's have a serious crack at this because he's a good kid.' I don't want to compare our stories, but I just feel like a change of scenery for him would be massive. There's absolutely no reason that he can't get back to being one of the best mids in the comp."
Green's Positive Outlook Despite Serious Injury
Despite the severity of his injury, Tom Green has maintained a remarkably positive attitude according to McCartney. "He's in remarkably good spirits. Our medical team assessed at the time and believed it was an ACL injury, unfortunately," McCartney stated. "He was sent for scans on Friday night and we're waiting for the official response on that. He'll see a surgeon over the next couple days and work out when he goes in."
The Giants now face the challenging task of navigating the opening weeks of the season without several key players, relying on their depth and new acquisitions like Clayton Oliver to maintain competitive performance until injured players can return to the lineup.
