Sydney's two pre-season wins over AFL rivals Greater Western Sydney may have planted a seed in the Giants minds, but it won't be long before they get their chance for revenge.
The Swans' 11-point win at Blacktown on Friday followed their 26-point victory at Henson Park in a practice match two weeks earlier.
Asked if the wins gave Sydney any edge over GWS going into the season, Swans defender Lewis Melican said: "It plants a little seed in their mind for the next couple of times we play them, but it's not four points.
"We'll still have a big job ahead of us when we play them again."
The Giants had good periods in both pre-season games and will have a number of positives to take into their round three clash with Sydney at the SCG.
Melican was one of the big Swans success stories of their rollercoaster 2017 campaign in which they reached the semi-finals after a 0-6 start.
He won the club's 2017 Rising Star award, in a year when Sydney blooded some impressive youngsters, including Will Hayward and Nic Newman.
Melican earned an AFL Rising Star nomination for his shutdown effort of legendary St Kilda forward Nick Riewoldt in round 18.
He replaced Aliir Aliir after round four and played 17 of the Swans' next 18 games, before quad tightness forced him out of the elimination semi-final against Essendon.
Melican was named as an emergency the following week, when the Sydney's season was ended by Geelong.
"I had an injury at the end of the year, it was a bit disappointing but it's part of footy," Melican said.
"It was always going to happen to someone and it just happened to be my turn then, fingers crossed nothing happens this year."
Upgraded after a couple of seasons on the rookie list, the 21-year-old defender has worked with Swans assistant coach Rhyce Shaw on areas of his game he can improve.
"I think I'm getting on top of them now, so it will be good to get into round one and hopefully get to test what I've been working on," Melican said.
"The majority of it is just body work, getting that positioning right."
