MYSTERY still remains over the availability of key Swan Sam Reid ahead of Saturday's Toyota AFL Grand Final against Geelong, while dashing wingman Justin McInerney seems likely to play in Sydney's quest for a sixth premiership.

Reid is bidding for his second flag as a Swan, 10 years after his first, but after being subbed out of the preliminary final win over Collingwood with an adductor injury, his fitness will be keenly watched at the Swans' closed training session today.

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"He's progressed really well throughout the week, we'll see how he goes today at training," said Swans assistant coach Jarrad McVeigh.

"We've been confident all week, he was a bit sore throughout the game so we didn't want to take any risks, we'll just have to wait for today and see how he goes."

The absence of Reid, should he not fully recover for Saturday, would be a big blow for the Swans after his fantastic second half of the season.

The 30-year-old has emerged as a major contributor as a key forward and pinch-hitting ruckman, but the club's positivity around his fitness has grown during the week.

"He's played in a few grand finals before so he understands the week and the pressure that comes with it all," McVeigh said.

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"Obviously, you want to be flying 100 per cent but he's recovered really well and we're really happy with the way he's progressed."

After playing out the latter stages of the preliminary final win despite injuring his ankle, McInerney looms as a stronger chance than Reid to play.

"Justin will train today as well. He's got a rolled ankle but he'll train fully today and we'll see how he pulls up as well," McVeigh said.

If McInerney is unavailable, Braeden Campbell would be a near certainty to take his place while the role as Reid's replacement will very likely be a choice between young talls in Joel Amartey and Hayden McLean.

"We think we've got really good back-up depth, those guys have played well throughout the year. We've tried to nail down that tall guy option and those guys will come into contention definitely," McVeigh said.

While both Amartey and McLean have shown glimpses of their talent in their 13 and 30 games respectively, concerns remain over their ability to have an impact in a Grand Final.

McLean's last AFL game was in round eight and Amartey has only featured in six matches this season.

"They've played in VFL finals over the last few weeks, they've trained really hard over the season, their attitude has been fantastic so if something was to happen, we've got full faith in those guys to come in and play well," McVeigh said.

Along with the fitness of two important players, Sydney's main worry – as it is for all opponents of the formidable Cats – will be trying to stop the All-Australian key forward combination of Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron.

"It'll go a long way to us winning the game, trying to quell their influence. Whoever takes those guys on it's going to be a tough ask but we back a team defence in as well to help those guys out," McVeigh said.

In Cameron's case, the threat he poses with his speed and ability to find space further up the ground will force the Swans into a team-based effort to try and stop him dominating the Grand Final.

"I think that's the way footy is now, it's a very system-based defence for most teams. If he goes up the ground, he's obviously got great speed and fitness and then when he's deep he's dangerous as well so we'll put plans in place in defence to try and stop those guys," McVeigh added.

And if the Swans can lock down on Hawkins and Cameron and emerge victorious on Saturday, a different dilemma remains, albeit a delightful one.

That is, which of the three co-captains in Callum Mills, Luke Parker and Dane Rampe will get the chance to lift the premiership cup.

As a co-captain himself along with Adam Goodes in the Swans' flag win in 2012, McVeigh was given the honour of lifting the silverware with John Longmire and he explained how that decision was made.

"Goodesy said to me 'I've won one so if we get it, it's yours' but I don't think any of the captains will care if they've got a medal around their neck," he said.