Defender Heath Grundy has highlighted the club’s defensive pressure and discipline as a key to success throughout the 2015 season.

Grundy will line up in the club’s first pre-season encounter against Brisbane on Friday night without fellow key defender Ted Richards.

The 28-year-old said the team was continuing to focus on ensuring their defensive pressure remained at a high level right across the ground.

 “Most of the top sides each year have their pressure right up there throughout the season so it is something that most teams are trying to work on,” Grundy said.

“It is something that we really set highly and we are pretty hard on each other if we don’t get it right.”

“One man in the forward line can affect a goal down the other end so it is definitely an eighteen man defence and attack.”

One of the more senior players to line up in Friday night’s match, Grundy is confident the club’s newest recruits have adapted well to learning the Swans game plan.

“Obviously you get new faces come through the club quite a bit so you are always learning and always trying to improve as a team,” he said.

“It is important Ted (Richards) and I do our job to talk from behind to help the guys up the ground to put a lot of trust in them and it is about them listening as well to respond to what we expect from them.”

Tom Mitchell and Isaac Heeney are two young players that have impressed the veteran defender this pre-season.

The pair will both be given the chance to showcase their abilities against the Lions in Coffs Harbour after being selected in the squad.

 “Isaac is a great young kid who has been training really well and he has been a bit of a standout actually,” Grundy said.

“He is a great runner and pretty developed for a young kid so I am sure he will be something to look forward to in the future.”

Grundy also praised the work rate of best and fairest winner Luke Parker following his breakthrough 2014 season.

 “He keeps getting better and better each pre-season, last year he had a super year,” he said.

“It is just the way he goes about it, winning those 50/50 contests and I am sure he will go to another level this year.”

“I am expecting another big year from him.”