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GWS captain Phil Davis remains in doubt for the AFL derby, with coach Leon Cameron giving little away on the eve of the SCG clash.

GWS will keep Sydney guessing over the availability of injured captain Phil Davis, who remains in doubt for Saturday night's AFL derby.

Davis was named in the Giants' team for the SCG clash, with coach Leon Cameron saying on Thursday that "he's confident in himself and we back him".

Cameron was more measured on Friday, when Davis failed to train with teammates because of the ankle injury he suffered last weekend.

"He's not 100 per cent over the line yet," Cameron said prior to the team's light training run at the SCG.

"But right now it's heading in the right direction.

"He's been up for long periods of the day and night, icing and doing some stuff with the medical team, just to get right for this game.

"You (also) don't want him to be carrying it for another four or five weeks ... all those factors we'll take into consideration."

Davis kept a hobbled Lance Franklin goal-less in last year's elimination final that ended the Swans' season.

The fact that Franklin kicked 5.4 last year in round 22 at Spotless Stadium, when Davis suffered a badly corked hip and wasn't able to play on the gun forward during the second half, also underlines the key defender's importance to the expansion team.

Davis is slated to train by himself on Friday afternoon but GWS won't make a final call until Saturday night.

"Going out there at 85 per cent, some can do that and some can't. I've got no doubt Phil can do that. He has done that in the past," Cameron said.

"If he feels like he can perform at a really good level then we'll pick him."

Recalled backman Aidan Corr is likely to get the job on Franklin should Davis be a last-minute omission, although Cameron suggested Nick Haynes and Sam Taylor could also spend time on the superstar.

Swans coach John Longmire insisted earlier this week that Davis' potential omission would not alter the hosts' planning.

Longmire and Cameron were more complimentary than caustic when it came to their cross-town rivals, although the latter predicted a "brutal" game of football.

"It's going to be a huge clash. Derbies are huge," Cameron said.

"We've had some really tough, interesting games in the last three or four years. They're keen to get their season rolling, we're keen to bounce back from our loss against Fremantle."