GREATER Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron has a giant selection headache ahead of the club's SCG clash with Sydney on Saturday ... and it comes in the shape of veteran ruckman Shane Mumford.
The 34-year-old turned back the clock in the Giants' 30-point win over Collingwood, when he nullified Brodie Grundy in the absence of rested GWS ruckman Matt Flynn.
Mumford had just 16 hitouts to Grundy's 42, but amassed 17 disposals, eight clearances and six tackles, inspiring GWS to an unexpected victory at the MCG.
The Giants now have a decision to make on whether Mumford can back it up against Sydney and its athletic ruckman Tom Hickey, or bring back the 23yo Flynn.
"It will be a really good discussion," Cameron said. "Mummy' is our ruck coach and player, and he's not the player that he was a few years ago. If everything went to plan, which it never does, he should only be playing six or seven games, because we really want to develop Flynn and [Kieren] Briggs.
"But we were rapt with [Mumford's] performance."
Cameron said the decision on ruck selection wasn't a simple choice between developing a young big man and prioritising victory.
IN THE MIX Who's pushing for a R5 recall?
"It's a huge game for us ... It's not as if we're just giving young Matty Flynn a game, he'll deserve to play this weekend, if he gets picked. And so will Shane, but Shane just can't go back-to-back-to-back three or four weeks in a row."
Mumford played 79 games at the Swans, and won a premiership there in 2012 under John Longmire, before moving to the Giants at the end of the following season.
The Sydney coach knows Mumford well and is aware of what he's still capable of.
"Mummy was brilliant on the weekend," Longmire said.
"I don't think anyone was surprised by what Mummy can deliver in a competitive sense. He can certainly work himself to that point where he just goes out and gets the job done.
"He's always been like that, massive competitor, very good with his ruck craft too, able to manoeuvre and shift people out of the way really well. He's very good at his craft."
