Josh Kelly insists GWS can cover the immense void left by hamstrung superstar Toby Greene, even if there is no like-for-like replacement for the AFL club’s talismanic forward.

Greene and Matt de Boer, the league’s premier tagger, both suffered hamstring injuries in the Giants’ win over Gold Coast on Sunday.

The club is awaiting the result of scans as coach Leon Cameron mulls how to handle the absence of Greene and de Boer in Friday night’s clash with Essendon on the Gold Coast.

GWS have gone 0-2 without Greene this season.

Whether that is correlation or causation may soon become clear as Kelly’s team seek to bank three consecutive wins for the first time since the 2019 finals.

“There won’t be too much change to how we play. Maybe a bit of an adjustment in terms of Toby’s position,” Kelly said.

“I don’t think you’re going to have someone come in and equal Toby’s output.

“What they can do is play a very similar role for the team. Bring the pressure, Toby has been really outstanding in that area this year.

“We’ve got blokes ready to step up and fill Toby’s role.”

Jackson Hately and Bobby Hill headline the youngsters likely to be called up, while former co-captain Callan Ward returned from his knee injury in last Friday’s scratch match involving the club’s reserves.

Kelly noted would-be debutants Jack Buckley and Xavier O’Halloran had also recently impressed, adding that a condensed fixture meant opportunities would pop up in coming weeks.

“The whole club has to be on its toes, ready to go. Because you don’t know when you’ll get called on,” the midfielder said.

Meanwhile, Kelly admitted near-constant speculation about his future can “get a bit annoying” given he is contracted to GWS until the end of the 2021 season.

“But it’s also a bit of fun every time it pops up. The boys have a bit of fun,” he said.

“I’m not sure where the discussions keep coming from, but I’m a happy Giant.”