GWS coach Leon Cameron has told his players to treat Saturday night’s AFL clash with Carlton like a final as the Giants attempt to overcome the emotion surrounding the retirement of Eddie Betts.

The Blues (8-13) will miss the finals for an eighth straight season but they will have plenty of motivation to play well against the Giants after Betts announced his retirement earlier this week.

Seventh-placed GWS will make the finals if they can beat the Blues at Marvel Stadium, but they are a strong chance to slip out of the top eight if they lose.

Cameron knows the Blues will be desperate to send out Betts with a win and he wants his players to be prepared.

“It’s always going to be magnified because … a super player and a super person like Eddie Betts (is retiring),” Cameron said. 

“My take is you acknowledge these guys with your best performance, and that’s what we have to do. 

“We need to make sure we play our best footy, because clearly they’re going to want to play their best footy for Eddie, and so they should.”

The injury-hit Giants have beaten Essendon, Geelong and Richmond in the past four weeks to revive their finals hopes against all odds. 

Cameron wants his team to maintain their must-win mentality for the final game against Carlton.

“When we had a chat about four or five weeks ago when we were bubbling around that 10th or 11th spot, we said every week has got to be like a final for us,” Cameron said.

“We have to win to stay in, and we’ll be approaching it the same manner as we’ve been approaching it the last three or four weeks.”

Star forward Toby Greene (suspension) will slot straight back into the side, while defender Phil Davis and captain Stephen Coniglio are also in the selection mix.

Coniglio hasn’t played since aggravating a toe injury in his comeback game in round 18, but the risk of playing him against Carlton could prove to be too great.

“We played around on the weekend in a scratch match against Richmond and he got through 50-odd minutes of footy, which was good,” Cameron said. 

“No doubt he’ll put his hand up, it’s just whether or not we think he’s ready to go. 

“But that’s a real good positive, because a week ago it probably wasn’t looking as strong.”

Ruckman Shane Mumford will be rested, with former Kangaroos and Demons big man Braydon Preuss a chance to make his Giants debut. 

AAP