One of just four GIANTS players to have tasted victory on the SCG against the Sydney Swans, forward Rhys Palmer says his side respects its cross-town rivals, but isn't overawed by them.
Back in round 17, 2011, Palmer was part of the Fremantle side coached by Mark Harvey that beat the Swans on their home ground by 11 points, when a then 19-year-old by the name of Nat Fyfe earned three Brownlow votes for his best-on-ground performance.
Palmer and the Dockers also beat the Swans the season before, while Steve Johnson (twice with Geelong), Joel Patfull (once with the Brisbane Lions) and Ryan Griffen (once with the Western Bulldogs) have also walked off the SCG against the Swans as winners.
The GIANTS face the Swans for the ninth time in a Sydney derby on Saturday afternoon, and Palmer – one of the club's first established signings when he left the Dockers back in 2011 – believes attitude is the key to GWS grabbing its first premiership points at the SCG.
After a round one shocker against Melbourne, the GIANTS bounced back to beat Geelong last week in Canberra, and Palmer says the players have been focused all week in bringing the same intensity against their cross-town rivals.
"The way we came out last week against a real premiership contender, I was very proud to see the boys attack it," Palmer said.
"It started on the training track early last week and we've carried that momentum into this week.
Palmer described the Swans as a "very impressive outfit."
"As a team and as a club, we sort of look up to them in the way they go about it, and they showed nothing different in the first two rounds," he said.
"They attacked Collingwood pretty hard and they went after Carlton last week, so we'll be looking for another great challenge and looking to back it up.
"We do respect them quite a lot, but we know we have some really good players and we're going to stick to our strengths.
"We want to go after them, we always respect our opposition but we know what we want to do.
Coach Leon Cameron has again elected to go with a small forward line against the Swans after the tactic of using tall targets Rory Lobb and Jon Patton, along with Palmer, Devon Smith, Johnson and Will Hoskin-Elliott inside 50, paid dividends against the Cats.
Lobb and Patton combined for 13 marks, and although they were inaccurate in front of goal with 1.5, they gave a contest all day and gave Johnson and Smith (two goals apiece) plus Hoskin-Elliott (one) opportunities at ground level to find the scoreboard.
Palmer says the forward structure worked well for GWS last week because the variety of options the players provide.
"Although we are small in height we do have some good overhead marks, so I think it's a really good mix at the moment" he said.
"Jonny Patton has worked his way back in the side and showed some great signs and Rory Lobb is in some very good form.
"Then there's the four of us that are good at ground level but also can play tall as well, so it's a really good mix and we'll see what happens."
The GIANTS take on the Swans in Sydney Derby IX on Saturday at the SCG at 4.35pm.
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