Don't miss any of the news involving the Swans as we bring you everything from the newspapers around the country on Tuesday 4th August, 2015.

HUMBLED by an outpouring of support, Adam Goodes is set to resume his AFL career with the Swans this week.

Granted indefinite leave last week as he struggled to deal with persistent vilification from sections of opposing teams’ fans, Goodes will return to training today.

He missed Saturday’s home win over Adelaide but will be available for Saturday’s away clash with Geelong at Simonds Stadium.

Goodes spent a few days out of Sydney with his family and contacted Swans coach John Longmire on Sunday.

“I don’t think he had intentions to watch the ( Swans) game, but he ended up watching the final three quarters and couldn’t believe the amount of support he had,” Longmire said.

In 2009 our colleague in the Recognise campaign Mark YetticaPaulson travelled to Papua New Guinea with an AFL indigenous development squad — the “Flying Boomerangs”. They were 15-yearold young men, brimming with footy talent and promise as AFL stars of the future. Mark’s role was as a leadership and cultural development coach.

This whole program evolved out of the AFL’s response to the infamous racial vilification incidents of the 1990s, when champions like Nicky Winmar and Michael Long said “enough is enough” and took a stand against racist abuse. After fumbling its initial responses somewhat, the AFL, to its credit, introduced a range of initiatives to try to rid the game of racism, whether in word or deed.

Importantly these were not just sanctions against bad behaviour but recognition of the huge contribution indigenous players make to AFL and the importance of acknowledging and celebrating their cultural heritage. Hence, the Flying Boomerangs and other programs. There it is, recognition — not so hard when you put your mind to it.

When Mark and the lads reached Cairns on their way to PNG they realised something quite remarkable. They knew when they ran out to play against their hosts in the days ahead, they’d be greeted by a symbolic dance ritual, a strong tradition in PNG as it is in many cultures throughout the Pacific.

The ceremonial routine is meant to convey strength and fearlessness, to show their opponents they are facing a formidable foe in the coming sporting ‘‘battle’’.

More recently of course the NRL Indigenous All Stars have created their own version which answers that question emphatically in their own unique way.

Their realisation was, ‘‘as Australians we’ve got nothing in reply’’. The prospect of just passively standing there to absorb this show of strength and offering no response did not appeal.

So Mark and the team set about creating something that would show the world that they had strong cultural traditions of their own, that they were immensely proud of them and also that they were not to be trifled with as a footy team.

Former prime ministers and political leaders have attempted to contact Adam Goodes to pledge their support for the dual Brownlow medallist after the booing controversy which forced him to take time out from the game.

Goodes informed coach John Longmire on Sunday that he would return to training on Tuesday with the view of making his comeback against Geelong on Saturday. Although he has missed a week of training, the club has said it will leave the decision to Goodes as to whether he will be ready to play.

Sydney are optimistic Adam Goodes will be given a respectful reception at Geelong on Saturday after the club announced the dual Brownlow Medallist would return to training on Tuesday.

With Goodes expected to come back this weekend, all eyes will be on Simonds Stadium on Saturday night to see how a partisan Cats crowd will treat the veteran Swan.

But Lance Franklin is in doubt to make the trip to Geelong due to the back injury which kept him out of the previous round's game against West Coast.

AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said in a statement Goodes deserved to be treated as a great of the game and reiterated the league's view the booing was racially motivated.

Indigenous ambassador Courtenay Dempsey has expressed hope that the controversy surrounding Adam Goodes could stand as a significant moment for race relations in Australia, should the goodwill that has surrounded the Sydney champion continue this weekend.

With Goodes declaring himself available for Saturday night's match against Geelong at Simonds Stadium, the Cats and Sydney, in consultation with the AFL Players Association and the league, are this week set to finalise a set of initiatives to ensure the momentum generated over the previous round does not take a backward step.

The parties have been in discussions since last Monday trying to establish ways that would build on the series of gestures shown by other players and clubs to support Goodes, such as dance celebrations by indigenous players Chad Wingard, Michael Walters and Danyle Pearce and Western Bulldogs skipper Bob Murphy wearing Goodes' No.37 for the coin toss against Essendon.

Far from downplaying the booing saga, Dempsey said the toll the controversy had taken on Goodes could not be underestimated, stressing "a lot of people think it doesn't, but mentally, it can take a toll on you and it gets difficult".

But the Essendon defender also raised the possibility that the industry and nation might look back on the entire issue in a positive light, should the Geelong crowd give Goodes a favourable reception on his impending return to football, which would coincide with this week's multicultural round.    

He is getting Adam Goodes back this week, now Sydney Swans coach John Longmire is hopeful fellow superstar Lance Franklin will be fit to face Geelong.

The Swans announced on Monday Goodes would return to training on Tuesday and would make himself available for the game at Simonds Stadium on Saturday.

Franklin pulled up sore from Saturday's win over Adelaide, again afflicted by a strained back muscle which kept him out of the previous weeks's game against Fremantle.

"He won't be doing much at training tomorrow," Longmire said on Monday.

IT took Mike Fitzpatrick a week too long to buy into the Adam Goodes saga, and when he did, it was misdirected and lacked leadership.

The AFL Commission chairman last night released a statement and spent much of it talking about himself and his own interests.

It was as if he was reminding people of his own credentials as a strong supporter of the indigenous community.

Through the self-congratulations, his message was strong, if not a reiteration of what AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said last Tuesday. “The booing of Adam Goodes may or may not have begun for other reasons, but the AFL Commission is of the view that this is about race and cannot be condoned at our games,’’ Fitzpatrick said.

Chief executive Gillon McLachlan has forecast the abolishment next year of the AFL's substitute rule, as well as the controversial "three strikes" illicit drugs policy, and as good as officially confirmed that Richmond and North Melbourne will fill the headline Friday night slot for the floating round 23 fixture.

In a hard-pressing interview on Channel Nine's Footy Classified on Monday night, McLachlan also denied the AFL Commission was divided on what the league's response should have been to the Adam Goodes booing controversy when it exploded last week.

At the end of the extensive interview, McLachlan engaged in straight answers to a set of questions on the program, given the options of "yes", "no" and only one "maybe".

Asked whether the substitute rule would be eliminated at the end of this season, McLachlan paused before answering: "I don't know the answer to this one, but I am going to say 'yes'."

On whether the current "three strikes" drugs policy would exist next year, McLachlan answered: "no".

To another question – whether the industry was any clearer on what is an acceptable sling tackle – McLachlan responded "no" and on whether the game's score review system needed significant work before it could be called a success, he answered: "maybe".