Dislocated finger downs Giant until at least ends

In a blow to their premiership aspirations, Greater Western Sydney will be without Jake Riccardi for the remainder of the home-and-away season.

Riccardi, who according to coach Adam Kingsley was playing with a dislocated finger for weeks, is the sole omission from the Giants line-up set to take on an in-form Hawthorn unit.

The star forward had booted 26 majors across 19 matches to make him the third-highest GWS goalkicker after round 20, and underwent surgery earlier in the week.

“He’s just had a dodgy finger for a couple of weeks actually and he’s been managing it,” Kingsley, who said Riccardi was initially able to deal with the pain, said on Friday.

“We decided to get it scanned and it’s just not good so he had to have that operated on, unfortunately.

“He’s going to miss probably a month. That’s not great but again, it gives someone else an opportunity.”

The fifth-placed Giants are also without vice-captain Stephen Coniglio.

Coniglio has been missing since round 11 after he dislocated his right shoulder in their four-point win over Geelong.

The vice-captain missed four weeks earlier in the season with a minor medial collateral ligament tear sustained in round five.

Fellow vice-captain Josh Kelly (calf) will also sit out on the Hawks clash but is expected to line up for their round 22 meeting with the Brisbane Lions.

“(We’re a) little unsure on ‘Cogs’. I would have expected he would have been right for this week, but it’s a bit of a strength issue with his shoulder,” Kingsley said.

“That could be next week. The strength indicators will suggest when he’s ready to go.”

GWS return to Canberra to host Hawthorn at Manuka Oval.

Anticipating a sold-out crowd for Sunday, Kingsley admits he sees reflections of their 2023 selves in Sam Mitchell’s emerging Hawks side.

“It’s a really good comparison. They started the season similar to us (last year) and they’re coming home like we did,” Kingsley said.

“They’ve been fantastic the last three months, and they’ve already knocked us off this year.

“They’re feeling really good about themselves. I’d like to think we’re feeling really good about ourselves too.

“We’ve won the last four and played some really good footy. It bodes well for a really good match.”