GWS Giants look to settle their scores at Manuka Oval on Saturday against Brisbane Lions

They want to right the ship that is their season, they want to pay tribute to their injured defender Phil Davis, and they want to secure a win against a side they have not beaten since 2019.

Following a 55-point loss to Port Adelaide last week, where Davis was ruled out for the season with yet another hamstring injury, a win against the Brisbane Lions is what the side need.

Cumming himself knows first hand how devastating a hamstring injury can be, after his own two years ago.

But he knows it does not compare to what his 31-year-old teammate Davis is going through.

The star defender was sidelined for 13 rounds this season, before he tore his other hamstring in his third game back for the Giants.

"It hurts. He came back from that same sort of injury and to do it again, I could only imagine what he's gone through," Cumming said.

"But Phil, he's a leader of the club and he's a loved bloke at our footy club, so everyone's behind him with whatever he does.

"It's very unfortunate ... but we've got some really good players to come in.

"[Nick Haynes] comes back and he's an All Australian defender, so it's obviously unfortunate but we've got some really good depth to take care of that."

The Brisbane game also has a stake for the 23-year-old individually.

After making his debut for the side in 2018, and getting his AFL career off to a self-confessed "slow start", he has since become a stalwart in the Giants defence.

Now Cumming is set to play his 50th game in the top flight on Saturday at the Giants' home-away-from-home.

He said the slow start came down to having to wait in line behind some stars in the GWS backline before he got his shot.

"Once I got my opportunity, off the back of them leaving, I knew that I really didn't want to give that up," he said.

"So I've been just making sure I've put everything in to each week to maintain my spot.

"It's been sort of long journey to get to 50. I mean, I think I only played [10 games] for my first four seasons, and then the last two has been the bulk of it.

"It's been a great journey so far and I hope it doesn't take another six to get another 50."

Across the last 49 games, one memory stands out for the Broken Hill product.

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A triumph over the Geelong Cats in the run to the finals last season. The Giants had a lot of injuries, were the underdogs and produced an "unreal win" to keep their finals hopes alive.

It may be a preface for this weekend's bout against the Lions. The Giants are the underdogs again. They are under an interim coach in Mark McVeigh, they have a 5-11 record, and they are languishing in 13th to Brisbane's fourth. They also have a number of injuries again with 12 players sidelined, with Davis and Adam Kennedy (concussion) the latest GWS casualties.

Cumming is under no illusion that securing a win against the Lions in his milestone match will be an easy feat. The Lions will be fired up after coming off a 10-point loss to Essendon.

"They're a very good side," Cumming said. "They got beat last week. So they'll be pretty keen to redeem themselves but we know what we're up for and we're ready to take it to them."