Co-captain Luke Parker and off-season recruit Sam Gray were brilliant for the Sydney Swans in their Marsh Community Series opener on Saturday, but the duo had few helpers as GWS cruised to a 94-point victory in the Blacktown International Sportspark clash.

Parker finished the match with 24 possessions and a goal and his intent around the footy was commanding all day, while former Port Adelaide livewire Gray played a shining role as a link player up and down the ground.

Last year's recipient of Sydney's Most Improved award, Jordan Dawson, was also influential with his pinpoint disposal and expert reading of the play in defence, while young midfielder Oliver Florent posted 24 touches and was a genuine threat on the inside and outside of the contest.

But despite the loss of reigning Club Champion Tim Taranto to a shoulder injury in the opening quarter, and despite being without Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly, Lachie Whitfield, Jeremy Cameron, Toby Greene and Nick Haynes, who played in Friday's State of Origin clash for bushfire relief, the Giants were too powerful for the Swans and set up their 19.7 (121) to 3.9 (27) victory with a run of 15 consecutive goals after the first break.

After a nightmare 2019 with injury, small forward Zac Langdon showed why he's so highly valued by the Giants on his way to five goals, while inside bull Jacob Hopper was prolific.

Young on-baller Jackson Hately is set to build on his seven-game debut season if his four-quarter effort is anything to go by, and the first outings of top-10 draft picks Lachie Ash and Tom Green were also impressive.

The Swans struggled to find an avenue to goal with tall targets Lance Franklin (knee) and Sam Reid (calf), plus the talented Isaac Heeney (thumb) and Tom Papley (Victoria) out of the side, with Nick Blakey, Tom McCartin and Callum Sinclair finding it tough against first-choice Giants defenders Phil Davis, Sam Taylor and Aidan Corr.

However, Sydney's coaching panel would be thrilled with ruckman Sam Naismith's afternoon, who hasn't played a senior match since the Swans' 2017 semi-final due to an ACL rupture and ongoing complications.

The 206-centimetre big man tackled the vast majority of the ruck duties, with Sinclair and Michaell Knoll pitching in briefly, and emerged from the match unscathed.

The Swans should get valuable defenders Jake Lloyd and Callum Mills back from the bushfire match for their final game of the series against North Melbourne next week.

NEW FACES

Sydney: Will Gould's physicality was outstanding in defence, while Dylan Stephens and Chad Warner showed glimpses of their talent through the midfield on a tough day for the Swans. Recruits Kaiden Brand, Sam Gray and Lewis Taylor were handy without being dominant and could all play a part in Sydney's best team this year.

FANTASY WATCH

Oliver Florent (MID, $514,000) took huge strides in his development last season in playing on a wing, and he looks set to take on more responsibility in 2020 as more of an inside midfielder.

NEXT UP

Sydney will travel to Tasmania to meet North Melbourne at Kingston Twin Ovals on Monday, March 9.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY     3.2      9.2    13.5    19.7 (121) 
SYDNEY                                          2.0      2.4     2.6        3.9 (27)

GOALS
Giants: Langdon 5, Hill 2, Himmelberg 2, Finlayson 2, Green 2, Hopper, Caldwell, de Boer, Hately, Kennedy, O'Halloran

Sydney: Hayward, Parker, Blakey

BEST
Giants: Langdon, Hopper, Hately, Kennedy, Ash, de Boer, Green

Sydney: Florent, Parker, Dawson, Gray, Cunningham 

INJURIES

Sydney: Robbie Fox (ankle)

Reports: Nil 

Umpires: Donlon, O'Gorman, Chamberlain, Wallace

Official crowd: TBC at Blacktown International Sportspark