Five goals to Jon Patton wasn’t enough to stop the WSU GIANTS losing their final NEAFL trial by 59 points to the Swans Reserves at Blacktown International Sportspark on Saturday.

The match saw a number of key GIANTS return from injury, with midfielder Stephen Coniglio playing the entire game after missing the last month with a hamstring.

Defenders Tim Mohr (knee) and Nick Haynes (groin) also got through unscathed playing a half each in their first games of the season following long term lay offs due to injury.

The first three quarters were tight, with the Swans carrying a 15-point lead into the last change, before holding the GIANTS scoreless and kicking seven last quarter goals to extend the margin.

Despite the loss GIANTS coach Brad Miller took a number of positives from the match, highlighting the successful return of Mohr, Haynes and Coniglio.

“It was great to see Tim get through a half, he’s missed almost 11 months of footy coming back from his knee injury so just to see him get through and hold his on down back was great,” Miller said.

“I thought Haynesy (Haynes) really got us going at times, he is a really smart footballer with his positioning and to see him get through after a long lay off was really pleasing.

“It was good to have Cogs (Coniglio) and his experience around the ball for most of the day and as always he was nice and hard over the ball.

Power forward Jon Patton was the standout up front, proving to be a constant headache for the Swans defence that included Ted Richards.

“It’s great to have a forward target like Jon, even though he ended up kicking five it was his contest stuff that really stood out on the day,” Miller said.

“A couple of times he halved contests and brought the ball to ground and charged through and won his own footy at ground level which was really pleasing.”

The WSU GIANTS will take on Sydney Uni at Henson Park in Marrickville at 2pm on Sunday, April 3 in the first match of the official NEAFL season.

Young midfielder Jacob Hopper also did his chance of a call-up no harm with a dominant display in the middle.

WSU GIANTS:           3.4.22              6.8.44              10.8.68            10.8.68           

Swans reserves:       4.2.26              8.8.56              12.11.83          19.13.127

Best Players: Hopper, Coniglio, Hoskin-Elliott, Patton
Goal Kickers: Patton 5, Barrett, Hoskin-Elliot, Fisher, Lloyd, Pickett