THE Sydney Swans had their full list together for training on Friday as the club aims to build on its strong finish to the 2011 AFL season.

But most of the attention, at least from a media perspective, was on the arrival of Greater Western Sydney in the Swans' backyard.

Adam Goodes fronted the media and around half the questions aimed at the Swans co-captain were about the Giants.

Goodes and some of the media contingent even joked that a leaf-blower who initially disturbed Friday's press conference was in fact GWS coach Kevin Sheedy.

Goodes described the Swans as the Giants' "big brother" and it was clear big brother has been watching developments in Sydney's west.

"We're happy that another team is in Sydney," Goodes said.

"We are the big brothers up here in Sydney. I've got two younger brothers and as a kid you always used to beat them at the games you play in the backyard.

"But there's no doubt they've overtaken me in some of the games that we play.

"Hopefully that sort of rivalry at the start can happen and we've got a lot of respect for that football club.

"They've got some fantastic kids and you saw this year you only have to be off your guard a couple of per cent and any team can beat you."

Goodes admits that when he first arrived in Sydney he never anticipated the city would one day have two AFL teams to support.

But he feels it will give the sport a major boost in Australia's most populated city.

The two-time Brownlow medallist believes GWS will improve rapidly, blending together a host of the country's best youngsters with veterans such as Luke Power and Chad Cornes.

And he doesn't mind GWS hogging most of the off-season spotlight ahead of the first clash between the sides, a stand-alone game at ANZ Stadium in round one next year.

"I think it's great they're getting the attention," he said.

"They need it. They need it for their membership and if it means we're going to get a really big crowd for round one, it's fantastic.

"We'll go about our usual pre-season and people might write us off or they might tip us for top four, that's up to them.

"But we'll try to improve and see how we go."

Goodes was speaking on the same day the Swans launched their membership drive with a campaign labelled: Get Your Blood Pumping in 2012.

Goodes might be happy for the arrival of GWS, but it's clear the Swans are also keen to make sure everyone knows that, in their 30th year in Sydney, they are still the top AFL ticket in town.

Chief executive Andrew Ireland said: "We have long been a part of this city, it's core to who we are, and this is expressed fittingly through how we have positioned the Sydney Swans for 2012 as 'Sydney's Passion'.

"We have been here for 30 years and we have built a very strong and loyal following.

"We want our many thousands of supporters to show their passion for the club by getting on board with us as the AFL moves into a new era with two teams in Sydney."

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