SYDNEY veteran Jarrad McVeigh is set to return for Thursday's top-two clash with Richmond at Etihad Stadium, but key forward Sam Reid has been ruled out of the game of the round.
McVeigh missed the Swans' round 13 win over West Coast with a minor calf issue but trained over the club's bye weekend and will add significant experience to John Longmire's side this week against the Tigers.
The 33-year-old had been in outstanding form before the setback, averaging 22.6 possessions and 4.1 rebound 50s across the first 12 games of the season.
While McVeigh will come in provided he pulls up well from Tuesday's closed session, Longmire said Reid and backman Lewis Melican are still at least a couple of weeks away.
Reid hasn't played since he suffered a serious quad injury against Greater Western Sydney in round three, while Melican (hamstring) went down in the same game and has had more than one setback with the injury since.
Longmire said playing them straight up against Richmond wasn't a consideration.
"It's something we've talked about with our medical staff, we can't rush them, because they're both really important players for us," Longmire said.
"We need to get their program right for the most important part of the year.
"If it's not this week they might be available for selection in our reserves next week.
"I don't see them waiting for a month, but they've been able to do a week of training, and they'll play when the medical staff give them the tick."
Thursday night's clash will be the second match in a row that sees Sydney take on the competition's ladder leaders, after it beat the Eagles by 15 points at the SCG before last week's bye.
A seventh straight win would see the Swans replace the premiers on top of the ladder with eight games remaining, but Longmire said toppling Richmond in the form it is in is a massive test.
"They've got the confidence of winning the premiership behind them, they've got enormous self-belief in the way they play, and they've got a huge number of premiership players available for this week, so they've got just about their best team ready to play," he said.
"We know it's a big challenge and the challenges keep mounting, but that’s OK, but it's one we're looking forward too.
"We want to be playing in these types of games at this time of year, it's a fortunate position to be in.
"Our self-belief is pretty solid, we think our core senior group of players is in reasonable form and we've introduced some young players who are also playing well.
"But it doesn't matter what I say at this time of the week, it matters what happens at Etihad on Thursday night."
Given the Tigers’ imposing record at the MCG, Longmire could be forgiven for being happy to take them on at Etihad Stadium, but he lamented another missed opportunity for his team to play at the MCG.
The Swans play just twice at the ground this year.
Interstate clubs have long spoken about a need to play more regular-season games at the ground that hosts the biggest fixture of the year if they make it, and Longmire is firmly of that opinion.
"I think that needs to be discussed going forward," he said.
"It is a significant commitment to play the Grand Final at the MCG and clubs that don't have that as a home ground just have to deal with it.
"I'm sure if the Grand Final was played here at the SCG, or Adelaide Oval, or maybe in Perth, Melbourne people might have a different perspective.
"It just depends on which lens you look through doesn't it, after all it is a home ground (for some teams).
"Is it a concern for me this week? No it's not, I'll leave that for the (club) presidents to work out."
