GWS has its “fingers crossed” that emerging forward Max Gruzewski’s knee dislocation isn’t more serious on a night Brent Daniels was also struck down to continue the club’s horror injury run.

Gruzewski and Daniels (calf) suffered serious injury setbacks during a brutal second quarter in the Giants’ 14-point loss to Hawthorn at the MCG.

It adds to lengthy casualty ward at GWS across this season, with the likes of Tom Green, Josh Kelly, Jesse Hogan, Darcy Jones, Jack Buckley and Jake Riccardi currently sidelined.

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Giants coach Adam Kingsley described the injury blows to Gruzewski and Daniels in the second term as a “significant” period on the night, but he lamented his side getting “obliterated” at stoppage in an “incredibly disappointing” result.

Gruzewski suffered a patella dislocation and will undergo scans to ensure the 21-year old has done no further damage.

“We’ll scan that just to check if there’s anymore damage, hopefully not,” Kingsley told reporters post-match.

“I think he might’ve had one four years ago, same sort of thing from what I’m told, which he had surgery on.

“We’ll get that scanned and keep our fingers crossed.

“He’s been really good for us. I thought he started well, competed really well ahead of the ball.

“So, yeah, unfortunate.”

Brent Daniels and Max Gruzewski were struck down by injury (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

Gruzewski, who’s kicked 14 goals from nine games in 2026 and is out of contract at season’s end, was set for a key opportunity to help anchor Kingsley’s forward line with Hogan facing a potential season-ending finger injury.

The youngster appeared to be in tears on the bench after he was helped from the ground by trainers in emotional scenes.

“He seems OK now, he’s settled down. But it’s hard for him, he’s trying to establish a career, he’s desperate to get in,” Kingsley added.

“He saw an opportunity: ‘Jesse out’s for a little while. I’ve got run of games where I’m going to be able to really cement himself into this team’.

“And he’s done a terrific job when he’s been in the team. Not only kicking goals, but competing and bringing the ball to ground and following up and doing all the stuff you want key forwards to do.

“So it’s really disappointing that he doesn’t get a good run it.”

Gruzewski’s setback came minutes after Daniels pulled up awkwardly and hobbled from the ground with trainers while unable to put any weight on his foot in a wretched Giants run.

“It didn’t look great, limping off, getting helped off,” Kingsley said of Daniels.

“But I don’t know the severity of it, aside from what we all saw, it looked bad.”

Meanwhile, star Hawks forward Nick Watson’s night also came to an abrupt end at half-time due to hamstring tightness.

Watson pulled up sore midway through the second term and came from the ground to get work on his hamstrings, before he re-entered the game and kicked two goals.

Watson told Fox Footy at half-time he had a “bit of a tight hammy” and hadn’t trained this week prior to being ruled out for the second half.

But Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said there was “zero” concern for Watson going into the game.

“I didn’t think about him at all pre-game. I wasn’t anywhere of anything going into the game,” Mitchell said.

“I understand now he was a bit ‘domsy’ (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), he’s still a bit tight and sore from last week.

“But there was no concern about it at all and they’re not concerned now.

“When you play footy at the level and speed he does, I thought it was a smart call by the medical guys.

“I always put my faith in them and they made the right call this time, so pleased with that.”