Giants defender Nick Haynes puts All Australian talk aside to focus on the prize

The GWS Giants defender is wary of a struggling Hawthorn when they clash at Manuka Oval on Friday night.

Giants coach Leon Cameron was full of praise for Haynes' form over the past fortnight following their win over arch-rivals Sydney on the weekend.

He's been a key reason they've strung together three straight wins and sit one win outside the top four.

Haynes has been with the Giants from the start - through the tough early years and now when they've threatened with two preliminary final appearances.

It's why he's desperate to help them go one step further.

While he wouldn't say no to All Australian honours at the end of the season, it's not why he's playing.

"You don't think about it playing. It would be a nice honour at the end of the year everyone would want to have," Haynes said.

"I go out there to win and to help out my other defenders.

"We played finals the last four years and fallen short so our priority is to win games and football and try to set ourselves up for that finals campaign."

Speaking of All Australians, Haynes was hopeful of welcoming two back into the fold.

Goalkicking-machine Jeremy Cameron (calf) is one of them, while Josh Kelly (calf) is the other.

"We've got our main training [Tuesday]. I'm not sure how they're tracking," Haynes said.

"I think they're going to go out and train, put their hand up.

"Two All Australian players and we're not going to rush them back - if they're ready this week we'll play them."

While the 12th-placed Hawks are struggling and only have a mathematical chance of making the finals, Haynes wasn't taking them lightly.

He only had to look at their round-eight clash for motivation. The Hawks almost doubled their score in the 33-point loss.

Plus, there's still a raft of premiership stars from their glory days. Luke Breust. Jack Gunston. Isaac Smith.

"They've still got a lot of great players. They got the wood over us last time down at the MCG," Haynes said.

"Friday night lights, I'm looking forward to getting down to Canberra.

"It's going to be a tough game I think. Who knows what the Canberra weather's going to throw up in the middle of August.

"It's going to be a tough slog and a tight battle I reckon."

Haynes was unsure who he would get the job on.

He said co-captain Phil Davis and Sam Taylor would normally take care of Hawthorn's key forwards, while Adam Kennedy or Heath Shaw would get the job on Breust.

Gunston could be a possibility, with the 25-year-old expecting to play on a range of opponents.

"I think it will be multiple players throughout the night. There's been a few changes to our backline the last few weeks, with Connor Idun and Jake Stein coming in," Haynes said.

"Both of them can play tall and small as well. I probably find out a bit more [Tuesday]."

The Giants are looking to re-establish Manuka Oval as a Fortress.

After winning nine straight games there, they let one slip to Fremantle earlier in the season before getting back on the ACT winners' list against St Kilda.

That Dockers loss was just their second since 2014 when they started to become a force.

"We want to make it that fortress. It's our home ground and over the last three or four years we've played some really good football there," Haynes said.

"We lost that one game, but we want to get back to winning games down there."

AFL ROUND 21

Friday: GWS Giants v Hawthorn Hawks at Manuka Oval, 7.50pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.