SYDNEY coach John Longmire expects superstar forward Lance Franklin and midfielder Luke Parker to be fit for the opening week of the finals after both were late withdrawals from the team that went down to Hawthorn on Saturday night.

Franklin hobbled off with a groin issue in the dying stages of the Swans win over Greater Western Sydney last week, and Longmire revealed that Parker was in exactly the same boat.

The coach said after his side's nine-point loss at the SCG that both players were ruled out on game day, with the club unwilling to risk two of their most important stars on the eve of the finals.

SWANS FALL SHORT Full match details and stats

"On Thursday night I was confident in some small way (that they could get up), and Luke in particular ran really well," Longmire said.

"I was hopeful on Friday, then realistic today (Saturday), and we just didn't get there.

"They wouldn't have lasted the game that was the feedback so there was no point playing them, as good as they are.

"We did a lot right and gave ourselves an absolute chance to win it even without those blokes, which is all you can ask."

HAWKS AT THE SCG A match made in heaven

The Swans looked like missing the finals for the first time under Longmire when they lost consecutive games to Gold Coast and Essendon in rounds 18 and 19, but they rallied with character-building wins over Collingwood, Melbourne and the Giants to give themselves a shot at a top-four berth.

Longmire was proud of the way his team fought back to make the eight.

They will host either Greater Western Sydney or Geelong in an elimination final.

"The last month we've played against good quality opposition and we're not too far off the mark, regardless of personnel, and that's given us confidence," he said.

"The next player comes in and plays a role and does a good job for us.

"Our blokes have shown a remarkable ability to get themselves going again, no matter what (their) age.

"We'll reset and come back here in a couple of weeks and have another crack."

WATCH John Longmire's full post-match media conference

Midfielder Dan Hannebery copped a corked thigh which forced him out of the match in the final term, but he's in no doubt for Sydney's elimination final in a fortnight's time.