Key forward Logan McDonald has missed Sydney’s first training session of AFL grand final week after injuring his ankle in the preliminary-final win over Port Adelaide.
The Swans face a nervous wait ahead of the MCG decider with Brisbane after McDonald rolled his ankle in a marking contest in the third term on Friday night.
Sydney coach John Longmire was quietly confident McDonald would be available for the decider in the aftermath of the 36-point victory, but the forward was a notable absentee at their open session on Sunday.
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McDonald was instead following a rehabilitation program in the pool at their headquarters.
The minor premiers were already sweating on the availability of Callum Mills.
The skipper prompted fears he would be sidelined for the rest of the finals series after he tweaked his hamstring in the aftermath of the Swans’ qualifying-final win over GWS.
He and Longmire have remained non-committal about his prospects of being passed fit.
Should Mills be unable to prove his fitness, Robbie Fox is likely to hold his spot, with Taylor Adams on the outer after featuring in 19 matches during his first year at the Swans.
Regardless, star midfielder Chad Warner says he expects Brisbane to come out firing at the MCG on Saturday.
A repeat of the 2022 grand final — when Geelong crushed the Swans by 81 points — looked on the cards at stages throughout the second preliminary final on Saturday evening, only for the Lions to storm home late.
“It actually would have been good maybe to rewrite a few wrongs there, but any team I would have been happy to play against,” Warner said on Sunday.
“There’s players, especially in Brisbane, with a lot of experience in big games and they’re going to be so hungry and going to come out firing, just like Geelong did a couple years ago too.
“They’re really going to come and try and rip your head off so you’ve got to be ready for that.”
The Lions face their own injury concerns ahead of their second grand final appearance in as many years, with ruckman Oscar McInerney out with a shoulder injury.
The star ruck double dislocated his left shoulder in the first and third quarter against the Cats.
Chris Fagan will likely recall Darcy Fort, who has played just two games this year, or four-gamer Henry Smith to go face-to-face with in-form Sydney big man Brodie Grundy.
Brisbane dominated from centre clearances to pip an injury-ravaged Sydney in their most recent meeting, but star winger Errol Gulden believes their dominance this season has put them in good stead.
“It does feel a little bit different (than 2022),” Gulden said.
“Some people were probably a little bit shocked at how early we got to a grand final a couple of years ago.
“… I don’t really know deep down, but we may have surprised ourselves a little bit as well.
“I feel like this year, the way we’ve played, the body of work we’ve put in on the track and on the field, it was our expectation to be there this weekend.”
