SYDNEY is set to make an 11th hour bid to fill its final list spot on Friday, flying two state league players to the Harbour City for medical screenings.
Just seven days out from the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP) deadline, South Adelaide's Hayden McLean and former Magpie Sam McLarty will jet into Sydney.
With confirmation third-year key defender Jack Maibaum is to be placed on the long-term injury list after rupturing his ACL, the Swans have the ability to replace him prior to March 15.
It has led the Swans to enquiring on both ready-made talents to bolster their key position stocks ahead of the season.
The Swans can also opt to add a second player to their list should they choose to place Kurt Tippett on the inactive list, an AFL spokesperson confirmed.
Like Hawthorn’s situation with Will Langford, the Swans re-rookied Tippett for 2019 with the knowledge that he won’t play.
While the window to have players such as McLean and McLarty train at AFL clubs closed last week, the Swans will attempt to learn more on the pair when they meet on Friday.
Overlooked for the past two drafts, the 20-year-old McLean this year crossed from Sandringham's VFL side to the SANFL to further his football resume.
Captain of the Sandringham Dragons in a TAC Cup side that featured Andrew Brayshaw, Bailey Smith and Max and Ben King, McLean also represented Vic Metro in 2017.
Then playing as a key forward/ruck in the VFL last year, the 197cm prospect trained with St Kilda ahead of the National Draft before he missed out on being drafted.
McLarty has this year signed with AFL production line club Williamstown, fresh off the Seagulls having four players join AFL ranks ahead of 2019.
Michael Gibbons (Carlton) recently joined former Williamstown teammates Ben Cavarra (Western Bulldogs), Lachlan Schultz and Brett Bewley (both Fremantle) in winning AFL spots.
After two seasons on the Pies' senior list, McLarty was cut at the end of 2018 while holidaying in Italy.
Playing as a defender as well as forward/ruck in the Pies' VFL side, the 197cm McLarty failed to make his senior debut under Nathan Buckley.
The Swans' list management team was due to meet on Thursday ahead of the pair arriving in Sydney on Friday.
Should McLean or McLarty be selected by the Swans, they would join Gibbons and eight other players to be selected via the SSP.
Richmond pair Sydney Stack and Mav Weller joined Shane Mumford (GWS), Zac Clarke (Essendon), Corey Wagner (Melbourne), Keegan Brooksby (West Coast), Tom Campbell (North Melbourne) and Matthew Cottrell (Carlton) via the new rule.
While McLean or McLarty would be placed on the rookie list like the other nine players, they all have the same playing rights as any other AFL player.
Hawthorn is also weighing up the decision to use Langford’s spot – or put Tom Mitchell on the long-term injury list for the season – and add beanpole ruckman Ned Reeves.
Should other clubs with vacant positions – Carlton, Gold Coast, GWS and Melbourne – opt not to fill them before March 15, they can carry over a selection to the mid-season draft.
