JAKE Stringer’s stop-start first season at Greater Western Sydney has continued with the high-profile recruit suffering another hamstring setback in Sunday’s win over North Melbourne in Canberra.
Stringer kicked three first-half goals against the Kangaroos at Manuka Oval before being subbed out tactically in the third quarter, but felt a minor issue with his hamstring in the first half.
Subsequent scans have revealed a worse injury than first thought with the 31-year-old expected to need 3-4 weeks to recover.
With only two games to play in the home-and-away season, Stringer won’t return in 2025 unless the Giants play finals.
The former Western Bulldogs and Essendon forward has dealt with two other hamstring strains this year, missing the first month of the season before missing another month after straining his hamstring against Geelong in round nine.
Stringer has kicked 25.22 from 14 appearances in his first season in Sydney, including four sets of three goals and a four-goal haul against Geelong in round 18.
The 2015 All-Australian loomed as a September wildcard for the Giants after a strong patch of form, but will unfortunately enter the final month of the season – if the Giants qualify – after another interruption.
Adam Kingsley’s men will head to face the Suns on Saturday without some other senior stars – Josh Kelly, Jack Buckley and Brent Daniels – but Jesse Hogan is a chance to return after missing the trip to Canberra.
The reigning Coleman Medallist has been dealing with a foot injury and needs to prove his fitness at training this week.
