Swans players have been given a four-day break ahead of their bye next round as the club comes to terms with Friday's nail-biting loss to Hawthorn, which might just prove to be the telling blow to their AFL finals chances.
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A Lance Franklin-inspired Sydney came from behind in a stirring final quarter to poke their noses in front of the Hawks before a late Jarryd Roughead goal handed the visitors a fourth straight win at the SCG.
The players had recovery and review sessions at the club on Saturday before embarking on a four-day break ahead of their grand final rematch against the Western Bulldogs on June 8.
Former co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack are expected back for the game. McVeigh has missed the last two wins with a hamstring strain, while Jack has been nursing the hip injury he picked up during pre-season.
A week off should also give Jake Lloyd and Sam Reid sufficient time to recover from the concussions they sustained in the first half against the Hawks.
Hawthorn were also desperate to keep their season alive on Friday night and led the Swans throughout until Isaac Heeney's goal early in the fourth term put his side in front for the first time.
Earlier on Franklin had kept Sydney in the contest with five booming goals against his old club, standing up when it counted during the annual Marn Grook match at the SCG to honour Indigenous Australians.
When Franklin wasn't snapping goals or loading up from outside the 50-metre arc, he was setting up his teammates in a best-on-ground performance, during which he wore the No.67 on his back in reference to the referendum 50 years ago where Australians voted to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
His old coach said Franklin's performance had been magnificent.
"Sometimes it's a little bit hard to admire it when you're an opposition coach," Alastair Clarkson said.
"He's been a great player, he's such a consistent performer and he just consistently does brilliant things. He'll probably continue to do that for a long period of time for the Sydney footy club, he's been a great servant of both clubs.
"He's still very close to a lot of people at our football club, particularly the players. He's held in such high regard by all of us coaches and administrators at the club.
"We wish him well but hope he doesn't have a day out and kick five like he did tonight. That made it a bit tough for us, but he's a special player. It made it all the more pleasing in a sense that he was able to have a significant contribution for them but we were able to still win the game.
"He's been a great ambassador for his people, I'm pleased to see him doing well, I'm pleased to see he's really content and happy with life."
