Coach Leon Cameron has recalled some of his biggest names for their first pre-season appearance against the Swans at Blacktown International Sportpark on Friday night.
Co-captains Phil Davis and Callan Ward, vice-captain Heath Shaw and veterans Shane Mumford and Steve Johnson will all play their first game of 2017 along with reigning Kevin Sheedy Medallist Toby Greene and young stars Dylan Shiel, Stephen Coniglio and Devon Smith.
Recently re-signed forward Jonny Patton will join Jeremy Cameron in a bolstered forward line while draftees Tim Taranto and Will Setterfield hold their places after impressive performances in round one of the JLT Community Series.
Coach Leon Cameron said he was pleased to have most of his players get quality game time in throughout the pre-season series.
“There’s no doubt every club looks at game time but I think results are also very helpful too,” Cameron said.
“You want to be able to win games because it reinforces that you’re doing things pretty well. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t; as we know there’s no four points up for grabs but it does reinforce some of the things you’ve practiced.
“We will probably come out of the three rounds and most of the players on our list will have opportunity to play, barring injuring, and that gives you a good look … there might be injuries in the footy club and young kids are ready to step up.”
The GIANTS take on cross-town rivals the Swans, who are also going into the game with a strong line-up.
“No doubt the rivalry has grown but it’s probably going to be tempered a bit in this game on Friday, the real stuff starts in three or four weeks’ time,” Cameron said.
“There’s no doubt the Swans will be trialling a lot of things, we’ll be trialling a lot of things, there’ll be some players in different positions.
"The competitive juices though of the players of both sides will lift a notch which is good because it’s good, hard practice. You just hope both sides have a really good hit-out and you both come off injury-free.”
The squad of 29 will be trimmed to 26 on the day of the game.
The GIANTS take on the Swans on Friday night as part of a huge double-header at Blacktown International Sportspark. The AFLW team take on Melbourne from 5:05pm while the AFL team take on the Swans at 7:40pm.
GIANTS AFL and AFLW members (with game access) receive free entry (subject to capacity) or click here to purchase your tickets now.
