LANCE Franklin should return next week, while Dan Hannebery is also a likely starter when the Sydney Swans face another stern test of their premiership credentials on the road against Port Adelaide.
Franklin was a late withdrawal on Friday night with a recurrence of the knee tendinitis he's been dealing with all year, replaced in the side to face Essendon by debutant Tim Membrey.
The Swans were able to cope without their leading goalkicker, running out 11.13 (79) to 8.9 (57) winners to maintain their position atop the AFL ladder.
And Franklin should only be missing for one week after the knee injury flared again leading up to the game.
"We expected him to play, yesterday I fully expected him to play, but I spoke to him this morning and he thought he was better off not playing," coach John Longmire said after the match.
"He was worried about getting through the game.
"It's been really good his tendinitis up to this point, it just flared up a bit from last week. He should be right next week.
"He's a pretty good judge of when he can play and when he can't, he's been able to play with a sore knee and contribute really well during the course of the year.
"We moved on and got Timmy Membrey."
Hannebery has been missing since round 13, when he tore ligaments in his ankle in the Swans' narrow victory over the Power.
The All Australian has ramped up his training in recent weeks, and Longmire said he is "a real chance" of reclaiming his place for the trip to Adelaide Oval.
"He trained today and trained really well (and) he'll train again Sunday," Longmire said.
"He was 95 per cent today running and doing skills and looked good.
"He'll do even more on Sunday and have a full week of training next week, so at this stage he'll be a chance.
"He's coming along pretty well at the moment."
Membrey was the Swans' fourth debutant this season, following Jake Lloyd, Zak Jones and Dean Towers, and started strongly before being subbed out at three-quarter time.
It was a thrilling day for the boyhood Bombers fan, who finished with nine disposals and four marks.
"He started pretty well. His first quarter was really good," Longmire said of Membrey.
"I spoke to him this morning and said 'what are you doing' and he said he just picked up his mum and dad from the airport.
"I said 'that's good, because you're playing your first game'.
"He was an Essendon supporter as a kid, and Dustin Fletcher went to him from the first bounce.
"I don't know if he wanted to shake his hand or sit down to worship him.
"He's been doing a lot right in our reserves."
Longmire was also asked about some criticism of some of his players this week following the Swans' defeat to Hawthorn last Saturday.
David King, a former North Melbourne teammate of Longmire's, was particularly critical of the effort put in late in the game by midfielder Josh Kennedy, who is currently considered right in the hunt for this year's Brownlow Medal.
The loss was the Swans' first defeat in 13 weeks, and Longmire had a sarcastic response when quizzed over the criticism, which he hadn't heard.
"Was there?" he asked.
"They're a pretty good group (the Swans) and we lost our first game for 13 weeks.
"So fair enough, get some criticism."
