With a North East AFL showdown against his former club looming at North Dalton Park on Saturday, Schneider was quick to enquire about the availability of talented goalsneak Toby Greene.

Greene hasn’t played in the AFL since round five because of a foot injury, but any prospect of a return through the NEAFL was quickly dismissed in a meeting of coaching staff on Monday.

“I tried, I put my case forward that we might get him,” Schneider said. 

“But he definitely won’t be playing in Wollongong.”

Still there’ll be AFL star power on show when the AFL second-tier Sydney derby rolls into town. A premiership player in 2012, Sam Reid played half-a-game last week in a 29-point win over Brisbane, as did 21-year-old defender Lewis Melican.

For the Giants, Matt Buntine, Tim Mohr and teenage midfielder Harry Perryman all played in the NEAFL last weekend.

Schneider will gain an early insight into Sydney’s selections, with the Swans naming their AFL team early for Thursday night’s clash with Geelong, while the Giants travel to play West Coast on Sunday.

But any advantage there will be handed back by GWS taking a travelling emergency to Perth, Schneider said.

“There’s one who won’t be playing, who could have been with us, so it’s a bit of a disadvantage,” he said. 

It’s a landmark moment for AFL South Coast, to bring the NEAFL clash to North Dalton Park in a region dominated by rugby league and soccer.

It’s also a crucial showdown, with the Giants fifth on the ladder at 6-5, having won their past five consecutive games. They are now one game behind the third placed Swans. 

“We’ve had a good few weeks, after struggling with a lot of injuries at the club early,” he said.

“But we know how tough Sydney will be, it’s a big challenge.”

Schneider played in the 2005 premiership for the Swans, as part of the remarkable rivalry with West Coast, where they lost 2006 grand final. He was also part of St Kilda’s 2010 team which lost the grand final replay to Collingwood after the first game ended in a draw.

Retiring in 2015, it is Schneider’s first season with the Giants, as he hopes to build a career in coaching.

Round 14

Saturday (12pm)

SYDNEY SWANS v GWS GIANTS

North Dalton Park