GREATER Western Sydney coach Cameron Bernasconi believes facing a depleted Sydney side has made preparing for Sunday's Sydney Derby more difficult, with the absence of several star players leaving the Swans' strategy less predictable.

Sydney will be without several key players for the Derby, with All-Australian ruck Ally Morphett banned for striking Western Bulldogs defender Elisabeth Georgostathis, defender Lexi Hamilton suspended for a similar incident against forward Heidi Woodley, and defender Brenna Tarrant ruled out for the remainder of the 2026 season with a ruptured ACL.

Speaking to media on Friday, Bernasconi said that while the Swans are missing important players and relying on their depth, their replacements could present different challenges for the Giants.

"Immediately, you think it might give you a head start, but it can actually make previewing harder," he said.

"You watch a lot of their stoppage and clearance work with Morphett in the team, and now she's not there.

"There are pros and cons to both, but it's something I personally don't touch on much. We're much more focused on the way we play. They'll replace those players, and it might galvanise them with new opportunities for other players. We'll go through what we think might happen, but we'll spend a lot more time on what our game looks like and where we can stop or exploit what they do. We'll prepare as usual."

With the Sydney Derby head-to-head record deadlocked at 2-2 and most matches decided by fewer than 10 points, Bernasconi expects another tight contest, anticipating a “blockbuster" matchup regardless of ladder positions. He said players quickly absorb the cross-town rivalry upon joining the club, with recent history proving just how intense the fixture has become.

"The last four in particular have been within a kick, so it's pretty cool," Bernasconi said, adding that the fierce rivalry and bragging rights provide all the natural motivation his side needs.

"If anything, this week is just about keeping things a bit calmer internally and letting them loose on Sunday."

Given the close historical margins, GWS has put extra focus on close-game scenarios during training. With the match set for Henson Park, which Bernasconi dubbed "the best home-and-away venue we play at", the Giants aim to tune out the vibrant crowd atmosphere and execute under pressure if the game goes down to the wire.

Coming off a 31-point loss to Brisbane in difficult conditions, Bernasconi sees early-season tests against powerhouse teams as a vital gauge for growth rather than a setback.

"Given our draw early on, we've played against some strong sides. Playing Brisbane and Melbourne in the first four rounds, two genuine top-four sides, is so good for us. It gives us an early-season stocktake to see what works and what doesn't," he said.

"The positive thing is that we're showing improvement in the areas we've targeted.

"Our contest is better, and our clearance work is better. Our ball movement really struggled against Melbourne, but it was a lot better against Brisbane. So, we are growing. We probably just need it all to sync at once, and then it's game on.

"We've been consistent in how we educate, and this group is great. I don't feel like I need to manage their emotions. We hate losing, but during the week we always come in wanting to learn and improve. Physically and mentally, we're in a really good position to go out and get after it this weekend."

Despite Sydney also coming off its first defeat, a 27-point loss to the Western Bulldogs, Bernasconi expects a fierce response from the Swans, drawing on lessons from how the Bulldogs applied pressure against them last week.

Ahead of defender Emily Pease’s 50th game, Bernasconi praised the Canberra product, highlighting her pivotal role in the club's growth and her evolution on the field.

"She's been great," he said.

"She's a Canberra girl from our region and academy background, a great kid who has been instrumental in our development phase.

"She's improved her game immensely, starting on the wing as a young kid and now being able to go back and play as a key position player for us has been great.

"I love milestone games because the girls really get up for them. We love 'Peasy', and I think the girls will go to a new level not only for the Derby, but for her as well."