WHERE AND WHEN: ANZ Stadium, Saturday March 24, 7.20pm AEST
HEAD TO HEAD: First meeting
TV: Live from 7pm on 7, 7mate and Fox Footy - click here for your local guide 

SUMMARY

It's the dawn of a new rivalry in the AFL as GWS embarks on its journey as the designated home side against the Sydney Swans.

GWS did show a little more during the NAB Cup than most expected, picking up a victory over Gold Coast and pushing Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs close in the opening round, but they also suffered twin 74-point defeats to Hawthorn and Richmond.

Key recruit Tom Scully will miss the game after sustaining a cheekbone fracture in a head clash with Israel Folau, while veterans Luke Power, Dean Brogan and Setanta O'hAilpin are also sidelined.

There has been plenty to like about GWS however, with co-captains Callan Ward and Phil Davis and veteran Chad Cornes leading the way well in the pre-season.

Despite their formative years, Steve Coniglio, Jeremy Cameron, Dom Tyson, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Devon Smith, Nathan Wilson and Adam Kennedy have also shown they will be more than handy AFL talent when they develop.

But they will face a battle-hardened Swans side that will be very keen to keep its young brother in check in their first official clash.

The Swans have enjoyed a successful pre-season, showing a preference for long kicking and faster movement of the ball while retaining their tough tackling ways and penchant for contested football. There are high hopes around the club for 2012.

Key forward Sam Reid appears ready to step up, while fellow youngsters Alex Johnson, Luke Parker and Lewis Jetta have also indicated improvement.

Dan Hannebery played his first minutes of the pre-season in last week's win over Gold Coast and Adam Goodes looks as fresh as ever, with Ryan O'Keefe (knee) and Matt Spangher (hamstring) the only real injury worries.

QUESTION MARKS
Can the Giants get enough of the ball in the midfield to trouble the Swans? With Scully sidelined, the likes of Ward, Coniglio and James McDonald will need to gather plenty of possessions and Jonathan Giles will be crucial in the ruck.

How will the Swans' forward line operate? Coach John Longmire has experimented with a number of options during the pre-season, rotating Reid, Goodes, Gary Rohan, Tommy Walsh, Mitch Morton and Mike Pyke through that area of the field.

Can anyone on the Giants list stop Adam Goodes? The dual Brownlow medallist is a nightmare match-up for any opposition, but the young GWS side seems less equipped than most to counter the superstar.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs