GREATER Western Sydney star defender Sam Taylor will face a race against the clock to be fit in time for his side's elimination final against St Kilda.

The 2022 All-Australian strained his hamstring in the second quarter of the 126-point win over Essendon in round 23 but wasn't ruled out of Sunday’s must-win game against Carlton until 60 minutes before the first bounce.

At that time, unbeknownst to almost everyone inside Marvel Stadium and everyone outside of the Giants' camp, Taylor was still in Sydney having not travelled with the team late on Saturday.

The West Australian has a low-grade hamstring strain and is understood to have not realised the severity of the injury until reporting soreness last Sunday that resulted in a scan at the start of the week.

Taylor was hoping for the opportunity to play on Carlton superstar Charlie Curnow in the final round of the season, but was ruled out and didn't train with the main group at all last week.

Curnow needed two goals to win his second consecutive Coleman Medal and got there inside the first 15 minutes before Jack Buckley limited him across the final three quarters in an impressive display by the Giants' key defender.

GWS coach Adam Kingsley was able to rely on Harry Himmelberg, Connor Idun and Buckley to stop the Blues, but will be hoping to regain Taylor to face the Saints on September 9.

It is likely to become a risk vs reward debate for the Giants given the tight turnaround, although the pre-finals bye clearly helps the reigning Kevin Sheedy Medallist's cause.

Taylor was the standout key defender in the AFL across the first five rounds before suffering a grade-three hamstring strain – on the opposite side – before returning in round 14 to give All-Australian selectors plenty to ponder despite only playing 15 games for the season.

Finn Callaghan will also be pushing to be available for the game at the MCG, which could be played in front of up to 70,000 people.

The 2021 No.3 pick missed the final month of the home and away season due to lingering Achilles soreness that is yet to subside.

Callaghan was restricted to just five games in his first season in the AFL due to persistent foot issues that plagued his draft year, but after playing 18 games in 2023 is now dealing with an unrelated issue that is threatening to keep the young gun out of the finals.

Xavier O'Halloran played in a 14 v 14 scratch match against Sydney's reserves at Tramway Oval on Sunday after recovering from a broken thumb.

The 23-year-old has missed the past six games but is now available if needed in September after banking some much needed minutes.

Forgotten ruckman Braydon Preuss also played in that game after recovering from a back issue.