SYDNEY Swans defender Ted Richards is looking forward toKurt Tippett finally being someone else's problem when the key forward makeshis debut for the club against Port Adelaide on Saturday.

Richards and fellow key back Heath Grundy have had the taskof trying to defend the 202cm, 104kg Tippett in practice sessions over the openinghalf of the season while he served his suspension.

He will finally be unleashed on the opposition at AAMIStadium, with Port's Tom Jonas already stating he would like to have firstcrack at marking the former Crow.

Richards agreed it was a relief to hand the task to someoneelse.

"You're exactly right," he told reporters ahead oftraining at the SCG.

"It definitely has been a bit of a change-up in intra-clubpractice games when I've got to man up this massive unit."

Tippett will have to shake off some rust, having not playedsince Adelaide's preliminary final loss to Hawthorn on September 22 last year.

But Richards feels the 26-year-old has had plenty of time tolearn the Swans' game-plan and won't alter the team structure too much.

"It's really funny in that someone who has been out forso long hasn't been injured," Richards said.

"So he's been at every training session since earlyDecember and more often than not when it comes to match simulation, myself orHeath Grundy are playing on him.

"So I've probably seen how he's been going closer thanmost and even though he hasn't been in the team on weekends, he's been part oftraining sessions and match simulation throughout the week.

"We've still had key targets down there, whether it beSam Reid, LRT (Lewis Roberts-Thomson), even Goodesy.

"But for it to be such a high-profile key forward,we've never had so much attention and focus in a new recruit since I've beenhere.

"We're really excited that he finally gets his chanceto play."

While Tippett, who is the third-ranked Swans forward, and242nd overall, in Official AFL Player Ratings, brought to you by Vero, comes intothe side, there remains extreme doubt over some other key Swans.

Reid (quad) only took part in handball drills wearing runnersbefore the media was turned away from Thursday's session, while Lewis Jetta(shin) sat in the stands and took no part in training at all.

Jetta's injury means Brandon Jack could feature in hissecond career game after making his debut against Adelaide before the Swans'bye.

The premiers were heralded for their scintillating brand offootball in wins over Collingwood, Essendon and the Crows, but Richards stillfelt the break came at a good time.

The All Australian defender is hopeful there will be anextra bye included in the schedule in 2014.

"You might look at it from that perspective that we didhave some momentum, but at the same time it's been a pretty intense first halfof the season," he said.

"A lot of the guys, myself included, really lookedforward to the bye.

"We've been going pretty much since the NAB Cup gamesin late Feb, early March.

"I think next year there's a chance two byes might comein and that'll be even better."

James Dampney is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow himon Twitter: @AFL_JD