SYDNEY coach John Longmire has expressed sympathy for Adelaide and coach Matthew Nicks over the decision that cruelly denied the Crows a match-winning goal against the Swans on Saturday night.

While the call ended Adelaide's season, a top-eight spot has been locked up by the Swans instead, despite Longmire's men sitting inside the bottom four just six weeks ago.

A superb six-match winning streak has completely altered their fortunes but that run would have almost certainly ended in Adelaide on Saturday night had Ben Keays' last minute shot been correctly called as a goal.

"It's important to acknowledge how disappointed I'd be if I was Matty Nicks," Longmire said.

"The AFL has acknowledged that. It's disappointing for the AFL, it's disappointing for the umpire too, we feel for him as well. Footy can be a cruel game sometimes."

The Swans finals delight was dulled somewhat on Sunday night, moments after their top-eight spot was secured, with key defender Tom McCartin handed a two-match ban for rough conduct on Adelaide's Shane McAdam.

The Swans will challenge the suspension though and a reduction would at least make him available for their first final.

Speaking before Adelaide announced McAdam suffered a depressed cheekbone fracture in the incident, Longmire was confident the ban could at least be reduced.

"We feel it was an accidental football incident. The ball deviated, Tommy didn't even brace let alone elect to bump. He didn't have a lot of choice and that's why we’ll be going for it," Longmire said.

In more encouraging news, star forward Tom Papley’s hamstring problem is not as serious as first feared after he was subbed out at Adelaide Oval.

"He's OK. He pulled up well today so he's still a chance to play this week," Longmire said. "He feels pretty good. We'll see how the week progresses. It would be good to have him in the team and available."

Key forward Joel Amartey is pushing for a return this week from a hamstring issue but Justin McInerney is looking very likely to miss a fourth week in succession due to a calf injury.

However, there is still no clarity over Hayden McLean's future at the Swans amid his breakout season.

The club is still confident a deal will be agreed to keep him in Sydney but nothing has been agreed yet, with just a week to go in the home-and-away season.

"For Hayden and us, we've got to finish off the season. That's where our priorities lie at the moment. He's playing really good footy for us," Longmire said.

"I'm hopeful it'll get done, I'm just mindful of Melbourne this week. That's my main focus."

Despite the late drama and a final-quarter slump against the Crows, the Swans did enjoy a dominant three quarters on Saturday night and a 32-point lead at the final change.

That has been in line with their form surge towards September and a seventh win in a row on Sunday at the SCG against Melbourne will secure a home elimination final should St Kilda lose to Brisbane on Saturday afternoon.

"It's a real challenge every year to put yourselves in a position to have another go and it's a good achievement to be able to get there. But there's a lot on the line this week for both teams and there's going to be a massive crowd this week at the SCG and a lot to play for," Longmire said.

"It never got to the point of lost hope (of playing finals), it was always a case of getting on a run and getting some good players back in the team that we'd be a real chance of playing some good footy."

Sunday's game against Melbourne will also be the official farewell for Lance Franklin, with the legendary forward to say goodbye to the Swans faithful along with the retiring Paddy McCartin.

"It's terrific to be able to farewell the big fella," Longmire said. "We might even put him in the goal square and see how he goes, put the number 23 on his back and see how he looks after a couple of weeks off.

"I was texting him this morning, we had a bit of a laugh. He's been away, he's put his feet up over the last couple of weeks.

"I'm sure the crowd will get a lot out of it, he'll get a lot out of it. To acknowledge one of the all-time greats is important."