RODNEY Eade says the "utopia" of having Jaeger O'Meara and David Swallow in the same team would have to wait until 2017 after ruling the latter out of senior footy this year.
O'Meara made a successful return from his ruptured patella tendon in the NEAFL, but Swallow is still "four or five weeks" off playing footy again as he recovers from a PCL injury.
Following his team's drought-breaking 40-point win over St Kilda, Eade said O'Meara would not be rushed back into the seniors and Swallow simply wouldn't play in the top team in 2016.
"At the end of the year we're hoping to play two or three NEAFL games," Eade said of Swallow.
"That's our aim at this stage, to get him confidence, like Jaeger today, about playing again.
"He had a great report from the surgeon two or three weeks ago, he's stepping his training up.
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"We think four or five weeks he'll be able to play, so round 18, 19, 20, that's what we're looking at.
"We can't make the finals, there's nothing to be gained by taking that risk (playing seniors).
"If he's right and he's played enough games, then yes, but there's no pressure in that situation."
After O'Meara's successful return, Eade said he was pleased for the star 22-year-old midfielder after a long rehabilitation.
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"The jump up to the next level, and he's as equipped as anyone to cope with that, but it's still a fair way to go and I don't think we as a club should put that expectation on him," he said.
"We've just got to let him increase his footy and increase his level of fitness and increase his exposure to the game at his speed and we'll see how it goes.
"If you look at utopia, having him and David Swallow back in the team next year, it just changes the team.
"If any side loses two of its four or five best players, it's going to be hard for them."
Thumping the Saints was a reward for improving form over recent weeks, Eade said.
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Following competitive losses against Richmond and Hawthorn, the Suns were never troubled as they out-ran their lethargic opponents.
"The guys got a lot of belief out of the last two weeks," he said.
"The training's been exceptional and they worked extremely hard.
"Unfortunately we didn't kick well for goal, that would have put the icing on the cake, but we'll certainly take it.
"We want to win as many games as we can and by extension of that we help shape the eight."
