Melbourne defender James Frawley to miss with hamstring strain

MELBOURNE has been dealt a blow with defender James Frawley ruled out of Saturday's crunch match against winless Greater Western Sydney.

James Frawley

MELBOURNE has been dealt a blow with key defender James Frawley ruled out of Saturday's crunch match against winless Greater Western Sydney.

Frawley had scans confirming a nick in his hamstring that should keep him out for at least a month.

Frawley missed three weeks after the Round 10 bye with a hamstring problem.

But the embattled Demons could be bolstered with Colin Garland (ankle) set to return in time to take on emerging Giants star Jeremy Cameron.

Cameron kicked seven goals against Collingwood last week, taking his season tally to 50, four shy of joint Coleman Medal leaders Jarryd Roughead and Josh Kennedy.

The match at Skoda Stadium also looms as Giants coach Kevin Sheedy's last chance to snare premiership points before handing over the reins to assistant Leon Cameron at the end of the season.

Demons football operations manager Josh Mahoney confirmed Frawley's injury.

He joins Mark Jamar (foot), Michael Evans (foot) and Tom Couch (hamstring) on the sidelines.

Round 19 Barometer

"Scans showed some minor damage in his hamstring and he’ll now go into the hamstring program and we expect him to miss three or four weeks," Mahoney told the club's website.