In-form forward Ben McGlynn has a quad strain and will miss at least the next two matches.
McGlynn injured his leg in the first quarter of last Saturday’s match against North Melbourne, but managed to play out the remainder of the game, gathering 11 disposals and kicking one goal to take his season’s tally to nine.
However a scan on Monday showed that McGlynn’s injury was worse than first thought and he will miss the next two to four weeks.
Sydney coach Paul Roos said McGlynn had been in fantastic form and would be missed.
“It’s not great because Ben has been playing really well, but the best part about our forward line in recent weeks is that the goals have been shared around,’’ Roos said.
“While Ben has kicked goals, so have a number of other players, so we’re not relying on any one forward.’’
Roos said there were a number of players who had been performing well in the reserves who would be vying for a spot in the seniors to take on West Coast this Saturday afternoon at the SCG.
“Ben McGlynn won’t play this week with a quad so that opens it up for someone else to come in, sometimes you have to give the seconds an opportunity,’’ Roos said, adding that there may also be another change to the Swans side that currently sits third on the AFL ladder with three wins and one loss.
Roos said his ruckmen Mark Seaby and Shane Mumford had a massive challenge ahead on Saturday when they take on West Coast pair Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui.
Naitanui received the Rising Star Nomination this week and has been doing freakish things on the field.
Roos said he was hard to plan for.
“He is a unique player and he is young and he’s still learning. It is interesting trying to scout him because he does the unpredictable,’’ Roos said.
“So with a guy like Nic you’ve got to be careful you don’t over-analyse him because he’s a real freakish, natural sort of player that we probably haven’t seen before.
“If you say we’ll do this or that against him, he could surprise you in another area.
“From our point of view we’ll give him the respect he deserves but our ruckmen have been in really good form.’’
Roos said he still rated Dean Cox more highly. “It is probably the biggest test for our ruckman going against Cox. People have probably forgotten about him because Nic has been so spectacular but Dean, over the past five or six years, has been the best ruckman in the competition, so I have as much respect, and probably more for Dean Cox,'' Roos said.
HMAS Sydney II Commemorative Football Game
Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles
Saturday 24 April, 2010, SCG, 2:10pm
Tickets from Ticketek
