While the interchange cap has been one of the most talked about topics this pre-season, one player who won’t be affected too much is Sydney Swans defender Heath Grundy.

As a key pillar in the Swans’ back-six, Grundy regularly stays on the park for the full four quarters lining up on some of the competition’s best tall forwards.

But the 26-year-old, who is preparing to enter his eight season with the club, told SwansTV he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I guess it’s just the way the rotations and things work out, so I’m happy to stay out there as long as I can,” Grundy said.

“I do get a bit of a lighter week (at training) sometimes but that’s not always the case.

“But I prefer to be out on the ground than on the bench, so I look at it as a positive and I don’t think it will change too much from last year to this year.”

Grundy has been a regular fixture on field for the Swans throughout the pre-season competition, with a number of his team mates making later returns to the side due to injury.

The Swans defensive group - minus the injured Alex Johnson – came back together in last week’s practice match against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium and Grundy said he is confident the group will be fit and firing for round one.

“A couple of boys have been playing a lot of minutes in the NAB Cup, but a couple more will have a run around this weekend leading up to round one,” he said.

“It was good to have Marty (Mattner), Mal (Nick Malceski) and Nick Smith back (last week), so I’m  pretty sure the back six will be back settled to what we want it to be.”

Looking ahead to next week’s season opener against cross-town rival GWS, Grundy said he expected their opponents would be tougher competition in their second year in the AFL.

“Last year they were definitely competitive and they have showed signs early in this NAB Cup that they have definitely put on some size and have gotten fitter and their pressure has been really good,” he said.

“We expect to be challenged in the coming weekend and it should be a pretty hard game.

“We need to be switched on and ready to go and we can’t take them lightly.”

Grundy added that he and fellow key defender Ted Richards were likely to have their hands full when they take on the GWS’ twin towers Jonathon Patton and Jeremy Cameron, who he believes have made significant improvements since last season.

“Obviously they are still young, but they showed some really good signs last year,” he said of Patton and Cameron.

“I’m sure they have gotten a bit fitter and stronger and after playing them in NAB one, they have definitely put on some size.

“It’s going to be a real challenge for myself and Teddy down there and we’re going to have our work cut out all night so we’re going to be raring to go before the game and hopefully we can do our best.”