Greater Western Sydney veteran Shane Mumford is relishing the chance to physically bully the Western Bulldogs' ruckmen in Friday night's mouth-watering AFL clash.
Mumford dominated Sydney last week, racking up a career-high 62 hit-outs and collecting the Brett Kirk Medal for best afield as the Giants stamped their superiority over their cross-town rivals with a 42-point victory.
The Bulldogs are emerging as GWS' other key rival after last season's classic preliminary final which the Giants lost by six points.
Mumford is taking nothing out of last week's match as he prepares to face the Bulldogs' ruck duo of Tom Boyd and Tom Campbell at UNSW Canberra Oval.
"No doubt they'll be coming right at me and I'll be going right back at them," Mumford said.
Last week's performance added tap supremacy to his regular game which has centred on bone-crunching tackles and a thirst for physical contests.
"You always hope to be able to find an advantage somehow and I guess (physicality's) what I've got," Mumford said.
"There'll be two big blokes at any given time going after that footy."
With Jordan Roughead out injured, Boyd and Campbell have been forced to shoulder the ruck duties for the Bulldogs.
Boyd has yet to recapture the form which saw him star in last year's grand final, averaging eight disposals and kicking three goals in the opening five rounds of 2017.
But one week after giving his own former club a masterclass, Mumford is expecting Boyd to want show his old team why they made him their No. 1 selection in the 2013 draft.
"I know what that's like when you come up against your old side," Mumford said.
"He's a big strong guy and he'll be wanting to put his best foot forward."
Both sides enter the match with 4-1 records, setting up a tantalising clash for the Giants' first appearance on the Friday night stage.
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