SYDNEY'S horror week on the injury front has worsened with news that Sam Reid and Lewis Melican will need surgery in coming days.
Reid was taken from the field early in Saturday's NEAFL clash with Greater Western Sydney in Wollongong with Achilles tightness, and while the Swans were initially hopeful it was a minor issue, scans revealed a different story.
It's the opposite leg to the one he injured late in 2016, with that bout of surgery costing him the chance to play in the Grand Final.
Melican has suffered multiple hamstring injuries to both legs this season but damaged the tendon at training last week.
Reid is expected to miss six weeks, with Melican ruled out for around two months.
Neither player has been seen at senior level since the loss to the Giants in round three, but both managed to get through limited minutes in the reserves last week, and the Swans were buoyed by their return to the field.
Swans coach John Longmire said he was hopeful of getting both players back before the end of the season, with the club in a good position to prepare Reid for senior footy after his past history.
Reid had surgery in August 2016 and despite not having played a senior game that year because of hamstring, calf and Achilles problems, Longmire seriously considered picking him for the decider against the Dogs.
"We've learnt a bit from that so there's some positives to come out of that (case) in regards to a rehab sense," he said on Monday.
"He came back well from that so that’s what we're looking for.
"He got himself to a spot coming back from his quad where he was in really good shape.
"To last about five minutes in the reserves - he was a bit stiff beforehand and it didn't warm up - and to get the news that he needed an operation was disappointing."
The news comes after experienced trio Jarrad McVeigh (collarbone), Kieren Jack (knee) and Dan Hannebery (calf) were all injured in Sydney's loss to Geelong on Thursday night.
McVeigh and Hannebery will be out for at least a month, with Jack unlikely to get up for a clash with North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
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This time last week none of McVeigh, Jack, Hannebery, Reid, Melican or Gary Rohan – who missed the Cats clash with hamstring tightness - were on Sydney's injury list.
"That’s just part of the resilience you have to have, whether you're a player or a supporter or a coach," Longmire said.
"You've got to understand that this game can change very quickly and when it does, (it's about) rolling your sleeves up and getting on with it.
"There's a couple of players there that we'd like to have in the team but there's no point worrying about that now, it's about the players that we have got."
It's not all doom and gloom for the Swans, with Isaac Heeney (concussion) and Tom Papley (hip) expected to be back against the Kangaroos, in a game the Swans must win to stay in touch with the top four.
Rohan could also be available, with all three needing to get through training on Wednesday and Friday to be a chance of selection.
