Veteran North Melbourne forward Jarrad Waite will be given until the last minute to prove he is fit to take on GWS in Hobart on Saturday while the Giants’ injury woes have worsened with concussed co-captain Phil Davis ruled out.
Waite, 35, suffered a corked hip late in the Roos' 10-point loss to Richmond on Sunday at Etihad Stadium.
Waite kicked two goals in his comeback game, after being rested from the side that beat Sydney by two points, but finished the match on the bench.
"I suspect we'll name him in our side and give him until Saturday morning to prove his fitness," coach Brad Scott told reporters on Wednesday.
"It was an outstanding attempt at a spoil from Alex Rance (that hurt Waite).
"Unfortunately for Waitey, he got him in a good spot, but he said at the time that it's just a cork and he'd be right.
"It was late in the game and he just couldn't function so we took him off. Just watching him this morning, he's walking and jogging without a limp so I think he'll be right."
Meanwhile, Davis was collected by an errant elbow from West Coast's Jack Darling last weekend and GWS coach Leon Cameron confirmed the nasty hit would stop him travelling to Tasmania this weekend.
"(He’s) better but he's not going to play this weekend," Cameron said.
"It was a really big hit as everyone at the game would have seen.
"He still had some headaches on Sunday and Monday, minor yesterday, but with the concussion protocol obviously if you get to Wednesday and still have some symptoms it probably rules you out for the game."
Cameron said Davis would be ready for the home game against Essendon on May 26.
The unavailability of key defender Davis is another big blow for a side in the throes of a form slump and missing several stars.
Midfield gun Josh Kelly is, yet again, ruled out with a worryingly persistent groin injury while injury-plagued Toby Greene is still weeks away and utility Matt de Boer (hamstring) is looking at a three-game layoff.
"Kelly is training today but we've decided to give him an extra week and we expect him to play next week," Cameron said.
"Toby is probably another two or three weeks away in terms of making sure his conditioning is right to absorb AFL footy.
"We don't want to run that risk of having a hamstring or another issue with Toby because then all of a sudden the season starts to get away."
Brett Deledio (hamstring), Adam Kennedy (knee), Tom Scully (ankle) and Zac Williams (Achilles) are also unavailable for the Giants.