Canberra's Tom Green to miss GWS Giants' Manuka Oval AFL clash

Green was a late scratching from last week's 14-point win over Adelaide and is set to miss another two weeks with a hamstring injury.

The injury continues a wretched run for the Marist product after a suspension ruled him out of the Giants round six clash at Manuka Oval due to suspension.

Green has emerged as one of the highest profile Canberra juniors currently in the AFL and signed a four-year contract extension at the start of the season.

GWS teammate Harry Perryman said the 22-year-old is disappointed to miss Sunday's clash with the Gold Coast.

"He'll be pretty flat," Perryman said. "He loves coming down here. He's got his fan club over there [on the eastern hill].

"He'll be spewing he's missing this game."

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While injury has forced Green off the field, he has continued to play a key role in the Giants' preparation for the game.

The midfielder is a member of the team's leadership group and is seen by many as a future captain.

This season has marked Perryman's first year in the group that also features Eastlake product Harry Himmelberg.

The group's influence was crucial in helping the Giants through a challenging start to the year under new coach Adam Kingsley. The team has come out the other side to claim five on the trot and climb to eighth on the ladder with six games to play.

Perryman said Green has played a key role in the winning streak and backed his close friend to return in time for finals.

"I'm good mates with Tommy Green," he said. "I've known him for a fair while now and his footy has come a long way. His leadership off the field has been great.

"I'm looking forward to getting him back out there because he has a massively important role for us in the team."

The Suns enter Sunday's clash on the back of a victory over St Kilda and eager to keep their finals hopes alive.

The match is Perryman's 100^th AFL game and he's determined to help GWS snap a nine-game losing streak at Manuka Oval.

The club signed a 10-year $28.5 million deal with the ACT government in the off-season to play three games a year in Canberra.

Given Manuka has become a second home for the Giants, Perryman said it's crucial the players turn it into a fortress, starting on Sunday.

"There is a bit of a drought here," Perryman said. "It used to be a bit of a fortress for us so we've spoken about making sure we get that back and make this ground a fortress for us for the years to come.

"It's definitely going to start tomorrow. The Suns are in good form so we're going to have to be on and we're coming off some good form. It's going to be exciting having to get the win for the locals."

The 24-year-old has come a long way since joining the Giants junior academy nearly a decade ago.

The journey has provided Perryman with a front-row seat to the expansion of AFL in the ACT and Riverina.

A busload of friends and family from the Collingullie junior's home town will make the three-hour trip across to Canberra on Sunday and Perryman is eager to send them home a winner.

"[AFL] has definitely grown a lot," he said. "I've been mixed up with the club for nearly 10 years now, going through the academy and then being here for seven years.

"It's definitely growing. Every time I go back home there's a lot more Giants supporters, especially at the local club back home. They jump on board with the Giants and particularly this year there's been some great support from them, so it's good to see."

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