STAR Sydney Swans midfielder Luke Parker has set himself for a contested footy battle with Greater Western Sydney co-captain Callan Ward in Sunday's derby at Spotless Stadium.

While Parker and Ward are unlikely to stand each other for the whole game given the nature of midfield rotations, the pair will likely clash at plenty of centre bounce and stoppage situations throughout the game.

A snap shot of the key statistics shows Parker and Ward are extremely similar in 2016, with the Swan leading in contested possessions (14.5 per game compared to 12.5), but the Giant holding sway marginally in general clearances (5.7 to 5.3) and centre clearances (3.7 to 3.4).

Both men have been able to find the scoreboard this season, with Parker booting nine goals and Ward eight from their 11 games.

They also have plenty of help in those important areas in Josh Kennedy and Dan Hannebery at the Swans, and Dylan Shiel and Stephen Coniglio for GWS, but it's Ward that Parker sees as his biggest challenge.

"(Callan) Ward is a gun and it's great to test yourself against the best players," he said on Friday.

"He's got a lot of special qualities, he can go inside or outside and go forward and take a mark as well.

"He'd be great to match up on and our midfield battle is going to be massive.

"Whoever gets him or (Dylan) Shiel or (Stephen) Coniglio, it's going to be a big one on one contest, and whoever wins the majority of those contests will come out on top."

Parker said he's noticed the difference in the Giants' ability to win their own footy this season, with Leon Cameron's men now ranked eighth for contested possessions per game, after finishing last year as the worst contested ball side in the League.

The 2014 club champion believes stopping the Giants at the source will be crucial in helping the Swans continue their winning record over GWS in the 10th edition of the Sydney Derby.

"They outnumber at the contest and really back themselves to win it, and their confidence is flying at the moment," he said.

"Our inside pressure is something we focus on heavily, and that correlates with the outside pressure that follows that.

"We need to get both of those right to stop their run and carry because when they win the ball inside they're going hard forward.

"When they're up and going it's very hard to stop their pretty exciting, very fast brand of football."