The Sydney Swans will be without skipper Josh Kennedy but regain the services of twin towers Sam Reid and Kurt Tippett as part of a host of changes made to the side that'll Geelong at Kardinia Park on Friday night.

Kennedy, who was hampered with a hamstring strain during last weekend's match against Hawthorn, failed to overcome the injury during the week and will be sidelined alongside Sam Naismith (hip), Dan Robinson (omitted) and Jordan Foote (omitted).

Reid and Tippett join Jake Lloyd and Gary Rohan as the inclusion for the Round 20 blockbuster against the Cats.

Senior coach John Longmire said while it was disappointing to lose Kennedy, he's confident the added experience of all four ins will help fill the void.

"It's good to have Sam (Reid) back in the team, he has got that versatility in his game ... and Kurt, obviously with Naismith going out of the team, means there's another marking target in our forward half," Longmire said.

"(Lloyd) is a very important player for us, he's had a consistent year this season, he's been really good since the opening round and has held his form throughout that whole time, so it was important to get him back in."

Reid returns after missing two weeks with groin tightness while Tippett's addition comes after an injury layoff then two strong performances for the NEAFL Swans including a five-goal outing against NT Thunder.

Lloyd (hip) and Rohan (back) were late withdrawals from the Swans' clash with Hawthorn but enjoyed strong weeks on the training track to earn themselves an immediate recall.

Robinson, Foote and Aliir Aliir have been named as emergencies.

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