Perryman chance to return as Giants accept Green ban

GWS will lose a star midfielder for its clash against Brisbane but is set to be buoyed by the return of two important players.

Tom Green will miss a week through suspension after a dangerous tackle on Hawthorn’s Josh Ward. Picture: Sarah Reed / Getty Images

GWS will take on Brisbane without Tom Green after deciding to accept his one-match suspension, but another player is on track to fill the star midfielder’s shoes.

Giants coach Adam Kingsley says he changed his mind on Green’s tackle on Hawthorn midfielder Josh Ward after watching replays of the incident, deciding the ban handed down by the MRO was fair.

Kingsley said after the game he did not think Green’s tackle would warrant MRO attention, but on Tuesday the Giants accepted his punishment.

“I think the impact was graded as medium and in order for him to get off, we’d have to prove that it was low, and there’s just a bit of a risk attached, I guess, to doing that,” Kingsley said.

“We felt like it was going to be a difficult case to win, so we’ve just opted to take the week.

“I probably thought it was fair in the end, to be quite frank; having watched it on replay, it was a little bit too aggressive … we spoke to the group about that sort of tackle.”

GWS midfielder Harry Perryman is a strong chance to return against Brisbane in Canberra this weekend. Picture: Matt King / Getty Images

Kingsley said hard-running midfielder Harry Perryman was on track to return from a hamstring tear to take on the Lions.

“I think Perryman might be right to come back in; he’s just got to get through the week of training,” he said.

“So maybe it’s a like-for-like replacement (for Green) there, we’re not sure. We’ll see how Pez goes throughout the week.

“Ward is certainly an option to go through there, but as the week pans out we’ll start to discuss that.”

Demons recruit Toby Bedford is also on the verge of an on-field return, after the 22-year-old suffered a hamstring tendon injury in February.

It came after a strong pre-season from the small forward, who won the Giants’ 2km time trial and looked primed for a big campaign.

GWS coach Adam Kinglsey is eager to bring Toby Bedford in for a club debut after he makes his return from injury through the VFL. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“I think (Bedford) should be due to come back this week via the reserves; he’s put a couple of decent weeks of training together,” Kingsley said.

“I can almost guarantee he won’t come straight back into the side, but maybe a week in the VFL and then we should see him.”

Free agent Harry Himmelberg’s signature looms as an “enormous priority” for the Giants following his heroics late in their two-point win over Hawthorn, Kingsley said.

“It’s an enormous priority for us; he’s clearly an important player for us and will be for a long period of time,” he said.

“I presume we’re still in discussions with him, but I’m fully confident that Harry will be a Giant for next year and beyond.

“To be able to win the game and save the game within a matter of a minute and a half, not too many players could ever say that.”