Most of the AFL community see Saturday’s fixture between Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast as the Giants’ best chance to snatch their first premiership points.

But GWS coach Kevin Sheedy knows there’s a pecking order between the league’s babies, who will do battle in Canberra on the weekend.

“We’re in the pram and probably the Gold Coast Suns are going to push it,” Sheedy said on Tuesday.

“The two youngest clubs in AFL history are going to be playing in Canberra. It’s going to be a magnificent game and we’re about due to win. We’re going after the Gold Coast Suns.

“.. (But) they’re a year ahead of us. They’ve probably got about 30 games up, we’ve got six.”

They may also have one of the game’s best players back from injury, with Gary Ablett considered a strong chance to return from a two-week layoff with a knee complaint.

The appearance of Ablett and Michael Rischitelli (ankle) would tip the balance further in the favour of the visitors, but Sheedy has welcomed their likely return.

“We’re happy that Gary Ablett and the boys are coming to Canberra to play,” Sheedy said.

“We’re going to have to find a player to play on him and beat him, and I think we’ll do that.

“We’ve lost a few players in the tall capacity but we haven’t lost any players in the running division where Gary and Rischitelli play.”

Setanta O’hAilpin will undergo a traditional knee reconstruction next week to repair his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

O’hAilpin will miss the entire season and ruckman Dean Brogan (elbow) is expected to be out for 4-6 weeks.

The pair will be enforced omissions from the side that lost to Carlton by 67 points, with rookie-listed ruckman Andrew Phillips likely to debut and Israel Folau (virus) set to return.

Folau’s unlikely to line up on fellow rugby league convert Karmichael Hunt, who has showed much promise in the midfield this season.

While Folau’s transition to the code is more of a work in progress at this stage, Sheedy suggested his former NRL teammate is a shining example of what’s possible.

“It was Izzy’s best game last match (against Western Bulldogs) before he hit his head on the ground,” he said.

“But Karmichael Hunt’s just been unbelievable for the Gold Coast.

“If you’re thinking about shutting Gary Ablett down – well, we might need to shut him (Hunt) down.

“To stop him getting the ball to Ablett. That’s where it’s getting to at the moment.”

Folau got one up on Hunt when the Giants recorded their first win in the pre-season, but Sheedy downplayed the importance of that victory over the Suns.

“The NAB Cup is an experimental competition I love … but we’re really about this week coming up in Canberra.”

While expectations are high, Sheedy said victory wasn’t the be-all and end-all for his club.

“Whether we collect the four premiership points week in, week out … well, that at the moment is probably secondary to me,” he said.

“(That) these kids have a crack is a very important thing for us.”