Don't miss any of the news involving the Swans as we bring you everything from the newspapers around the country on Wednesday 12th August, 2015.

Sydney’s final-four chances may well hinge on the fitness of two keys — star forward Lance Franklin and ruckman Mike Pyke.

After dropping out of the top four for just the second time this year following the loss to Geelong on Saturday night, the fifth-placed Swans have a six-day preparation before hosting Collingwood at the SCG on Friday night.

The clubs haven’t met since round two last year, when the Magpies won by 20 points at ANZ Stadium.

After losing three of their first 11 games this season, Sydney have dropped three of their past four matches, convincingly beaten by Hawthorn (by 89 points), West Coast (52) and the Cats by 32 points.

“We haven’t come up to scratch over the last month, it’s time to get going,” coach John Longmire said.

Life in the Sydney coaches' box has suddenly become a lot more complicated. No sooner is one problem seemingly corrected than several other issues crop up - and seldom in John Longmire's coaching career have the solutions been so hard to find.

The glass half full view is that the Swans are simply playing badly and the outlook is still rosy.

They are one of two teams in the eight to have beaten Hawthorn. With a friendly run into the finals - they do not play a team in the eight - they should reclaim their spot in the top four and who knows what can happen in September?

But the Swans are not playing like a top four side many had them pegged to be at the start of the year, let alone a genuine premiership contender.

They have a 3-6 record against the other sides in the top eight. They have lost to each of the top four sides, and also dropped games to seventh and eighth.

Travis Cloke looks certain to return to play for Collingwood in the team's game against Sydney on Friday night.

It is a do-or-die game for the Magpies, who, after making a strong start to the 2015 season, endured a six-game losing streak, broken only at the weekend with a win over one of the league's worst sides, Carlton.

Cloke has missed three weeks of football with a calf injury, a major loss for the struggling Pies.

"I'm eying off playing Friday night against the Swans, that'll be nice," he said.

"All things going well tomorrow in our main session, I couldn't see why I don't line up against the Swans."

Sydney coach John Longmire says it is time for the Swans to get serious and find the consistency that has been a hallmark of the club in recent years.

The Swans have lost three of their past five games – more than any other side in the top eight – and you have to look down the ladder as far as Collingwood in 11th to find a side who have been beaten in as many contests in the same period.

With four regular-season games remaining and sitting just outside the top four, Longmire has challenged his players to lift to the expectations of themselves and fans.

"We haven't come up to scratch over the last month – we need to get going," Longmire said. ​"We haven't played the way we want to play. You can't shy away from that and we need to play a lot better and with a lot more consistency and get to the line better than we have been doing.

"It's now about making sure we put it in actions – that's our challenge ahead of us. It starts with Collingwood this week and what better way to get a tester for ourselves again this week."