GWS CEO Dave Matthews has confirmed that Stephen Coniglio will return for Saturday’s Semi Final against Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval.
Coniglio was a late out for GWS’ 24-point Elimination Final win over St Kilda at the MCG last weekend with an eye injury.
Matthews says it was a “freak thing” that Coniglio was hit in the eye during training in the lead-up to the game, but he says he’s now ready to go.
“Yes, he will (play),” Matthews told SEN Sportsday.
“He was very close on Saturday.
“It was just a bit of a freak thing. There was a bit of an eye issue, but he's fine.”
Coniglio initially thought nothing of the knock to the eye, however, he experienced blurred vision in the aftermath which led to his withdrawal.
Matthews has been really pleased with Coniglio’s season as a whole with the former captain recapturing some of his best form.
The chief executive is keen to see the 29-year-old run out on Saturday after he and some star teammates missed the 2019 finals series where they made it all the way to the Grand Final.
“I’m really pleased for him,” Matthews said.
“I was disappointed for him Saturday because when you go back to 2019, we miss Callan Ward, we missed Stephen Coniglio, we had a lot of players out – Lachie Whitfield burst his appendix on the eve of the finals.
“We had all these things going against us. So, I want to see Coniglio run out on Saturday.
“He'll play for sure.”
If GWS do beat Port Adelaide, they’ll likely have just a six day break and have to fly home before heading back to Melbourne to face Collingwood in a Preliminary Final.
While it’d be a tough ask against a side that’s had the week off, Matthews says it’d be a good problem to have as the side takes on an, ‘Anywhere, anytime’, attitude.
“We've talked a little bit to the AFL about that,” Matthews said.
“But again, going back to, ‘Win anywhere, anytime’, we understand what the fixture is going to present to us on the weekend.
“That's ok. It'd be a bloody great problem to have. That's the way I look at it.
“You just want to win and then we move on in whatever circumstances they present to us.”
The Giants face the Power at the Adelaide Oval at 7:40pm (AEST) on Saturday.