Prized recruit Jesse Hogan has been locked in to play his first AFL game for Greater Western Sydney, while reigning best and fairest Lachie Whitfield is also set to return in Saturday's crunch clash with Adelaide.
Hogan signed a one-year contract with the Giants for this season, relishing a fresh start and chance to reignite his career after injuries and mental-health struggles took their toll.
The key forward has recovered from a pre-season quad injury, impressed in the reserves and will tackle the Crows at Adelaide Oval.
GWS coach Leon Cameron has also confirmed that Whitfield will play his first game of the season, provided the hard-running star pulls up well from Wednesday's training session.
Whitfield, who has been sidelined since the start of February because of a bruised liver, will bypass the VFL and return directly to the AFL.
"It's a huge ask because he's been out for 12 weeks. We don't expect miracles," Cameron told reporters.
"His fitness is at a good level. His footy fitness will probably take about three or four weeks to get rolling.
"He's been training for four or five weeks ... he's been building every week.
"Lachie Whitfield is a really important player to our structure."
Whitfield is set to replace hamstrung intercept defender Nick Haynes, who he shared last year's Kevin Sheedy medal with.
Hogan's return is likely to result in Jake Riccardi being squeezed out of the Giants' team that lost to Western Bulldogs in round six.
Cameron noted former Melbourne and Fremantle forward Hogan is certain to be nervous this weekend.
"It's his first AFL game for a long time, but he's put himself out there and that's what we like," he said.
"He's settled well.
"He's training really, really hard.
"I know he's a player of interest and people will look at him closely.
"He can ... add a bit of firepower. We probably need to find another couple of goals, he's been in form in the VFL and thoroughly deserves his spot."
The Giants are yet to make a call on whether to stick with young ruckman Matt Flynn or recall veteran Shane Mumford.
Meanwhile, Cameron revealed that football manager Jason McCartney fronted players after his mid-match verbal clash with umpires resulted in a $20,000 fine from the AFL.
"We're not going to get everything right," Cameron said.
"What happened last week was not right.
"We put our hand up, we got it wrong and move on.
"We got our right whack, you make poor decisions sometimes."
