GWS coach Leon Cameron has challenged Toby Greene to return to his match-winning ways as the Giants attempt to resurrect their AFL season.

Greene returned from suspension last week but couldn’t prevent a 17-point defeat to St Kilda that left the Giants reeling at 1-5.

The 28-year-old forward blew out some cobwebs in his first match of the year, kicking 1.2 from 14 disposals.

“Now he needs to get on a roll,” Cameron said ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash with Adelaide.

“Every week he’s going to get more match fitness … but he’s in really good spirits and really good shape.

“One thing I know about him is he’s just got an absolutely massive work rate and all he wants to do is get better every week.”

Cameron said he had seen some encouraging signs from GWS in consecutive losses to the Saints, Melbourne and Fremantle.

But the out-of-contract coach admitted his side ultimately didn’t compete hard enough for long enough.

He said hard work is the only solution to the Giants’ early-season woes as they face an uphill battle to replicate last year’s finals appearance.

“I think if you take your eye off the ball and try to come up with some magical way that you can fix it, that’s when you know you’re probably in a bit of strife,” Cameron said.

“There’s no way we’re heading down that path.

“It’s our fundamentals at training, it’s our rock up to work, it’s our climb back up the stairs and be a really strong team and be really hard to play against.”

Cameron said Zach Sproule is available for the Giants after more than three months out with a shoulder injury, while Jesse Hogan is likely to return against Adelaide.

The key forward was left out in round six as part of his load management.