AFL 2025: GWS recruit Jake Stringer trapped in frustrating injury cycle

The Jake Stringer propaganda machine was in full swing at GWS before his latest injury setback. ED BOURKE explores whether Stringer will ever get back to his matchwinning best as a Giant.

Early in pre-seasons he peels seconds off his 2km time, aggressively sheds kilograms and sparks waves of excitement about the player he could be when the real stuff starts.

For someone who can build as much summer hype as Jake Stringer, it is striking that the mercurial forward hardly ever reaches the season fully fit.

The hamstring strain he suffered in the VFL this weekend means the 30-year-old will not only be kept waiting for his GWS debut, but will miss his fourth season opener in five years.

Stringer’s track record of pre-season injuries reveals some degree of misfortune – a concussion battle derailed his 2023 preparation, after respective achilles and groin issues kept him sidelined when the 2021-22 campaigns got underway.

But another setback on the eve of the season raises more questions over whether he can deliver a full campaign anywhere near the level glimpsed in the back end of his 2021 contract year.

Jake Stringer’s best football at Essendon game in the second half of 2021, but he still managed to boot 42 goals in a difficult 2024 campaign. Picture: Dylan Burns / Getty Images

Stringer’s electric finish to that campaign – which should have earnt him a second All-Australian blazer – bucked the trend of his last five years at Essendon, when he often became a lightning rod for criticism in the final rounds as his visibly let his conditioning wane.

GWS is bullish that the premiership forward can be encouraged to stick to a rigorous tailored training program, and a strong rapport has been formed with coach Adam Kingsley, who singled out Stringer for his physical preparation in front of the playing group before Christmas.

It is not difficult to see why the Giants have made the risky investment in Stringer as they search for the missing pieces in their premiership puzzle.

Despite letting his conditioning decline in the second half of last season, he was still Essendon’s most dangerous attacking threat.

He popped up in round 21 after a quiet five weeks to boot 4.0 and lay a career-high 10 tackles – six of those inside 50 – to help the Bombers keep their season alive with an upset win over Fremantle.

GWS teammates have been impressed by Stringer’s application to his first pre-season at the club, and he was singled out for praise internally before Christmas. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Some close to Stringer believe his latest setback came after being rushed into match play too soon following a nasty virus which left him hospitalised last month.

But Stringer himself had been desperate to take the field, and had put his hand up to face Carlton the week before only to be made to wait by the Giants.

Teammates have noted an “urgency” about his pre-season as he tries to establish himself at his new club.

“It’s only a short sample size, and the season’s around the corner, but he’s giving himself every chance to get back to his career-best form,” Jesse Hogan said on Tuesday.

“He might not even have played his best footy yet. He’s similar to Toby (Greene) … he can turn the game on its head, and there’s probably only a handful of players in the competition who can do that.”

Losing Hogan (broken thumb) and Stringer for at least the first two games will leave the Giants short on quality forward targets after they spent the pre-season preparing to stretch Collingwood’s backline with a multi-pronged beast in opening round.

Jesse Hogan (left, broken thumb) and Stringer (hamstring) will both be sidelined until at least round 2, and the Giants may wait until after their round 3 bye to start their seasons. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Jake Riccardi is also unavailable against the Magpies and Melbourne after he was handed a two-match ban out of the Whacky Wednesday saga.

Raw four-gamer Max Gruzewski and veteran tall Lachie Keeffe, who only kicked one goal in his five-match run in the side the end of last season, will be relied upon to support Aaron Cadman.

Aside from the scoreboard pressure it will place on Greene and Cadman in the early rounds, the injuries may also delay the Giants’ ability to build crucial forward-half chemistry.

Even before the news of Stringer’s injury setback, Hogan had conceded it could take time for the Giants forwards to acclimatise to an attack boasting two loosely structured, burst-style players.

“When you get players like Jake Stringer and Toby Greene, they’re kind of one-on-one (players), so it’s hard to initially gel with them because they’re just so mercurial,” he said.

“The best forward lines in the comp have spent four or five years together, so we have to fast-track that.”

How long the “fast-tracking” period takes could make or break the Giants’ season – cohesion will be vital for a brutal four-week stretch against Sydney (SCG), Geelong (GMHBA), Fremantle (Engie) and Carlton (Marvel) in rounds 8 to 11.

Originally published as AFL 2025: GWS recruit Jake Stringer trapped in frustrating injury cycle