Both the Swans and Giants will be looking to get back on track when they meet in the first Sydney Derby of 2023.

Match details

• Who: Sydney Swans vs GWS Giants
• When: Saturday 29 April, 2.10pm
• Where: SCG, Sydney
• Weather: min 16, max 21. 100% chance of rain, 8 to 30mm
• Head-to-head record: Played 24. Swans 15 wins. Giants 9 wins.

Teams

Swans

IN: Angus Sheldrick, Lance Franklin, Tom McCartin

OUT: Justin McInerney (omitted), Matt Roberts (injured), Robbie Fox (injured), Will Gould (sub)

MILESTONES: Errol Gulden and Peter Ladhams – 50th match, Tom McCartin – 100th match,

Tom McCartin is a huge inclusion for the Sydney backline that will be missing Paddy McCartin, Dane Rampe and now Robbie Fox. Buddy also returns to give some much needed size to the forward line, while young Sheldrick will play his first game of the season after impressing in the VFL. Young winger McInerney has been dropped after a slow start to the year, while Roberts is out injured.

Giants

IN: Callum M. Brown, Toby Bedford, Tom Green

OUT: Adam Kennedy (injured), Callan Ward (suspension), Harry Rowston (omitted), Sam Taylor (injured)

The Giants get a big boost with Green returning from suspension to bolster their midfield stocks. Bedford comes in for his first game for the club after moving from Melbourne during the off-season, while the Irishman Brown will play his first AFL game of the season. GWS copped two big blows with gun defender Taylor set to miss 10 weeks with a hamstring injury, while club favourite Kennedy is out for the season after rupturing his ACL.

Click here to see the complete team line-ups.

Season so far

Sydney Swans 10^th – 105.7% | 535 points for | 506 points against | 3 wins & 3 losses | LWLLW

After two easy wins to start the season, the Swans have dropped three of their last four matches and were absolutely smashed by Geelong last week.

In a Grand Final rematch that really did resemble last year’s decider, Sydney were never in the contest and were well beaten right across the ground.

The Swans did have significant injury issues, particularly to their backline, and were fielding a much younger side than the Cats, but their inability to compete for long enough was unacceptable.

It was like boys against men in the midfield, with Sydney’s young onballers struggle to match Geelong’s older, more experienced players.

The club has continually denied there are mental scars from last year’s Grand Final shellacking, but it’s becoming increasingly hard to ignore it as a potential reason for their up and down start to the year.

GWS Giants 12^th – 91.6% | 490 points for | 535 points against| 2 wins & 4 losses | LWLLL

While they haven’t exactly got the wins on the board, the Giants have shown themselves to be a very competitive group so far this season.

They came up against a red-hot Lions outfit last week and if it wasn’t for a rampant Charlie Cameron, they would’ve been right in the contest.

There were a couple of moments last week that Brisbane looked like running away with the game, but to the Giants’ credit, they continued to fight and kept the margin to just 21.

The Giants lost both Sydney Derby’s last year, so they’ll be keen to get one back on their rivals and there’s no reason why they can’t.

Last 5 meetings and SCG history

• 2022 round 20: Swans 17.10 (112) defeat Giants 5.9 (39) at SCG
• 2022 round 1: Giants 13.14 (92) lost to Swans 17.10 (112) at Accor Stadium
• Elimination Final 2021: Swans 10.13 (73) lost to Giants 11.8 (74) at UTAS Stadium
• 2021 round 8: Giants 11.6 (72) lost to Swans 15.8 (98) at Metricon Stadium
• 2021 round 5: Swans 10.9 (69) lost to Giants 9.17 (71) at SCG

The Swans have won three of the last four clashes against GWS and were too good for them in both clashes last year.

The Giants defence was a bit leaky against their rivals last season, with the Swans scoring 112 points in both games.

Luke Parker loves playing against the Giants and claimed best on ground honours twice last year to make it five Brett Kirk medals across his career.

The Swans hold a 6-4 advantage at the SCG, however, the Giants have won three of the last four matches at the venue.

Pre-match predictions

Buddy’s back with a bang: Lance Franklin to kick five goals in his return from injury. Swans by 16.

Tobys in tandem: Toby Greene and Toby Bedford to work well together in the forward line and combine for 6 goals.

Have any pre-match predictions of your own? Let us know in the comments below.