THE SYDNEY Swans face some Grand Final selection headaches as a host of injured players including Jarrad McVeigh, Callum Mills and Aliir Aliir race to prove their fitness.
The Swans went into Friday night's preliminary final against Geelong without co-captain McVeigh (calf) and Mills (hamstring), while key defender Aliir joined them on the club's injury list when he went down with a right knee injury late in the first term of the Swans' 37-point victory.
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Aliir played no further part in the game and Swans fans had their hearts in their mouths midway through the third quarter when midfield star Luke Parker hobbled to the bench with an apparent left knee injury.
Swans coach John Longmire said in his post-match press conference Parker was one of a number of players who had pulled up sore after Friday night's "pretty ferocious" contest, but he expected "the majority" of them to pull up fine.
However, Longmire said the Swans would have to assess Aliir in the lead-up to the Grand Final.
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"He's a bit sore. He landed a bit awkwardly and we'll have to see how he is," Longmire said.
The Swans coach gave little away when asked whether Aliir would be replaced with a tall if he was ruled out, saying he didn't deal in "ifs, buts and maybes".
Longmire also downplayed the tough selection calls the Swans could face on Aliir, McVeigh and Mills.
WATCH: John Longmire's full post-match press conference
"We’ll deal with that this week. We work through it and if the players aren't fit they don't play, and if they are fit they play," Longmire said.
"The same thing happened this week and we ruled the blokes out that we thought weren't available and ruled the blokes in who were available and trained and looked good.
"So the same thing will happen next week."
ICYMI, Aliir Aliir injured his knee and was iced up early. Update thanks to @Capitalrad. #AFLFinals https://t.co/RxJgIeze3z
— AFL (@AFL) September 23, 2016
Zak Jones came into the Swans’ team on Friday night in place of McVeigh and, even if the co-captain proves his fitness, the defender mounted a strong argument to hold his spot for the Grand Final with 22 possessions and a game-high 15 rebound 50s.
"He was playing really well for us before he went out during the year and had that ankle injury. We were keen to get him back in as soon as we could," Longmire said of Jones.
"He gives us some real zip and some hardness and some real energy. He has speed across the ground and he's a good kick, so he was pretty good."
The Swans will play the winner of Saturday's first preliminary final between Greater Western Sydney and the Western Bulldogs at Spotless Stadium.
GWS will be vying to reach the Grand Final in just its fifth season in the competition, while the Bulldogs have not played in a premiership decider since 1961.
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Asked whether it would be hard to play opponents who were chasing a piece of history, Longmire said simply: "So are we."
The Swans coach also gave nothing away when asked which team he would rather play.
"It doesn't matter. I'll just go and have a look and see who wins," he said.
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