Veteran GIANT Ryan Griffen has been ruled out of the club’s round one clash with the Western Bulldogs with an ankle injury.

 GIANTS Head of Athletic Performance David Joyce told the club’s Rehab Report, presented by Westfund, the 31-year-old was closing in on a return before he experienced discomfort in his left ankle ahead of the club’s JLT Community Series clash with Collingwood earlier this month. 

“It’s quite a complex problem with Ryan’s ankle,” Joyce said. 

“He was really close, then his ankle started to swell up a little bit prior to the JLT game in Canberra. 

“We’re going to gradually introduce him into more and more demands, some rehab running and then get him back into training, and hopefully playing in the not too distant future.”

Meanwhile, Joyce said young midfielder Will Setterfield’s recent knee surgery in Melbourne was a success with the 20-year-old to begin his rehab soon.

“He’s back up here and is looking really good,” he said.

“His wounds have healed really nicely, he’ll be in the pool really soon and he’ll build up strength in that leg of his.”

In more positive news, Joyce refused to rule out dashing defender Zac Williams for the rest of the season with an Achilles rupture.

“We’re looking at an average return of somewhere between six to nine months, which I know is a broad window,” he said.

“So, we’re absolutely not ruling out his return to action this season.”