The Giants' pre-season campaign was off to a horror start as Taranto dislocated his right shoulder in an innocuous incident just 10 minutes into Saturday's clash at Blacktown International Sportspark.

The star midfielder reached out in an attempt to push Swans co-captain Josh Kennedy under the ball from a boundary throw-in, popping out his shoulder before it snapped back into place straight away.

Shaking his head and in obvious discomfort, Taranto walked from the ground, assisted by a trainer, and did not return.

The Giants confirmed he would be sent for scans in coming days to assess the severity of the injury.

It follows an all-too-familiar theme for the Giants, with their push for a maiden premiership cruelled in recent years by recurring injuries to top-line talent.

In the absence of nine representatives away for Friday night's State of Origin match in Melbourne, both clubs blooded plenty of fresh faces.

Stand-in Giants captain Matt de Boer felt the brunt of a brutal hit from first-year Swan Will Gould in a tight opening term.

But it was a clinic from there on as GWS kept the hapless Swans goalless in the second and third quarters.

It took a Will Hayward wonder snap from the boundary late in the last term to snap a streak of 15 unanswered goals as the Giants ran away with a 19.7 (121) to 3.9 (27) victory.

Zippy small forward Zac Langdon (five majors) was the Giants' major goalkicker, with Jeremy Finlayson, Bobby Hill, Harry Himmelberg and Tom Green chipping in with two apiece.

Green (21 possessions) and Lachie Ash (19) gave glimpses of the talent which made them top-10 selections.

The Swans ran their top pick Dylan Stephens through the midfield, with the ball-winner gathering 13 disposals.

Sydney recruits Sam Gray (19 possessions) Lewis Taylor (12) and Kaiden Brand (10) also made their first official appearances for the club, as did former Adelaide and Carlton big man Sam Jacobs for the Giants.

With veteran Shane Mumford resting, Jacobs (23 hit-outs) shouldered No.1 ruck duties, aided by academy product Kieran Briggs.

Australian Associated Press