SYDNEY coach John Longmire has confirmed that club CEO Tom Harley has met with star Essendon forward Joe Daniher but hasn't given Swans supporters any cause to get excited.
The Bombers spearhead, who played just four games in 2019 and was ruled out for the season with an osteitis pubis injury after round nine, met Harley after coming to Sydney for an appointment with his surgeon.
"I don't know all the details to be honest, it was just a catch up with Tom Harley, who was a mentor of his at the AIS," Longmire said.
"Joe was up here, as I understand it, seeing a surgeon. So they just caught up for a coffee.
"I don't think there's anything to be drawn into that.
"I think you're allowed in this industry to catch up with people from other clubs." - John Longmire
Irrespective of whether Sydney has the desire or salary cap wriggle-room to hook a big fish like Daniher, Longmire said the club would continue to focus on developing their large crop of promising youngsters.
Sydney will miss the finals for the first time in 10 seasons, but Longmire stressed they were looking beyond just a better ladder position in 2020.
"It's not just about setting this team to move up the ladder next year. It's actually about setting this team up to be another contender for a longer period of time," Longmire said.
Talk about Daniher has emerged at a time when Sydney has struggled to kick big scores and field a pair of experienced, fit, and in-form key forwards.
Injuries have limited Lance Franklin to just nine games this year.
Franklin will miss a seventh straight game this week, and Longmire said it wouldn't be until late next week before a decision is made on his availability for the following round.
Sam Reid has played every game this season, kicking 25 goals, but racked up only eight touches in each of his last two games, kicking just 0.1 across those matches.
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"He's been up and down," Longmire said of Reid.
"He needs to be able to take charge of that forward line, particularly with a young group.
"He wasn't able to do that on the weekend, but we're confident he can do that in the back-end of the year.
Reid just missed out on a mark late in Saturday's game against GWS, with some suggesting he should have got a free kick which might have led to a match-winning goal.
"There's no point in me reviewing it, it wasn't paid," said Longmire, who added the club had not heard from the AFL about that incident.
He expected key defender Dane Rampe would be back from an eye issue for Saturday's away game against Port Adelaide.
