Big forward Jon Patton will make his return to AFL football for the GIANTS opening NAB Challenge match against the Swans at StarTrack Oval Canberra on Thursday night.

Five players will wear GIANTS colours for the first time with experienced recruits Heath Shaw, Shane Mumford, Josh Hunt, Dylan Addison and Jed Lamb all named in the 29-man squad.

It will be the first time former Swans premiership ruckman Mumford and forward Lamb have played against their former club.

The GIANTS have named a strong squad to take on the Swans, who they also meet in Round 1 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season in the Battle of the Bridge at Spotless Stadium on March 15.

Head Coach Leon Cameron said it was an exciting time for the GIANTS as they prepared for their first match of the season.

“The players have been looking forward to this day for months and it’s great that the first NAB Challenge match is finally here,” said Cameron.

“It’s fantastic to have all five of our new recruits lining up in this game.  They’ve had a big impact on our younger players over the summer and I expect to see that carry into Thursday night.

“We’ve got a really strong supporter base in Canberra so I hope to see a lot of our fans at StarTrack Oval Canberra to see their team for the first time this year.”

It’s the first of four games at StarTrack Oval Canberra for the GIANTS this season with matches against Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide and North Melbourne to come.

The GIANTS will meet ACT fans on Wednesday night for the ACT Fan Day ahead of their first NAB Challenge game against the Swans at StarTrack Oval, Canberra on Thursday.

The GIANTS game will be broadcast live on Foxtel's Fox Footy (Channel 504) from 7pm on Thursday February 20.

GIANTS SQUAD - NAB CHALLENGE GAME 1