CO-CAPTAIN Callan Ward believes Greater Western Sydney can claim its first scalp of the season on Sunday by giving the Sydney Swans a taste of their own medicine.

It will be the fourth derby between the clubs, but the first time the two Sydney sides have locked horns at the SCG.

Ward said the GIANTS were excited about playing on the big stage but not afraid to confront a tough - albeit injury-ravaged - Swans outfit.

"We're playing in the AFL, so that's what we expect," he said on Tuesday.

"Every team will go hard at the ball, hard at the man as well - and that's what the Swans do. That's what we try and do, so we can base our game on the way the Swans play the game.

"We're a pretty physical side and we like the tough stuff, just like the Swans. They're a great stoppage team - they win contested balls.

"I think we can beat them."

The 23-year-old midfielder said the team were not worried about their winless record so far this year, adding that Saturday's gritty four-point loss to the Western Bulldogs - their lowest losing margin in 2013 - had provided a timely shot in the arm.

"I know we've lost 14 games and we haven't won one, but we've improved a long way," he said.

Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh is also expecting a physical match and plenty of banter ahead of the clash.

"I think every game against your cross-town rival, there's a bit of a niggle but we respect the way they go about it," he said.

"We know they're hard and tough young kids with a lot of talent and that's how we like to play the game."

The Swans will again be without Sam Reid, who on Monday was ruled out for six weeks after aggravating a quadricep tear in his first game back since the original injury in round nine.

He joins a swag of other casualties on the bench, including veteran Adam Goodes (knee) and half a dozen other players from last year's premiership team.

McVeigh said while the high injury toll wasn't paying any short-term dividends, it would benefit the club's young bloods in the long term.

"It's a good thing for the footy club in the future but, obviously, we want the Goodesys, the Reids back," he said

Either way, the veteran midfielder concedes the fourth-placed Swans need to repeat last year's good post-bye run if they're to be a chance of winning a second consecutive premiership.

"We were pretty healthy last year - I think we were in the same position with about the same amount of wins.

"(This season) we've been a little up and down but we're still winning games of footy.

"We really want to hit a good patch."