Out-of-favour talls Kurt Tippett and Aliir Aliir remain required players at Sydney and are highly unlikely to be traded, Swans football manager Tom Harley says.

Tippett played just nine senior games in an injury-disrupted 2017 and after an ankle scare in round 23 was overlooked for the Swans' two finals.

With key forwards in high demand and short supply ahead of October's trade period, Tippett has been touted as a possible target for clubs such as Richmond and Collingwood despite being contracted at Sydney until the end of 2020.

Aliir is contracted for next season but has also been the subject of trade speculation, with the former East Fremantle player linked most strongly to Fremantle.

But Harley was extremely confident Tippett and Aliir would be at Sydney next season when he spoke with SEN radio on Monday morning.

"[Tippett] had a wretched year. He had a ripping pre-season, which is the disappointing part now. He hurt his ankle in round two, he battled his way through that," Harley said.

"He's going to require some surgery on his ankle, the extent of that is to be determined.

"He really battled and I know it was outside of the glare of the AFL media bubble, but he battled pretty manfully to get himself up to play a couple of those AFL games and certainly in the NEAFL, so he's going to be better for the surgery and remains an important part of our team."

Asked about a report Tippett was likely to be traded, Harley said: "I'd be very surprised if that was the case. I can't see that happening."

After a breakthrough 2016 season, Aliir, 23, played just three senior games this year – and none after round four – after missing most of the pre-season through injury.

"Aliir is contracted. He was the opposite to Kurt in terms of his off-season and pre-season. He had a really interrupted (pre-season) and his year last year was built on the back of a really strong foundation of fitness and training and competition," Harley said.

"He wasn't able to do that (this year), but his form started to really pick up towards the end of the year.

"We went for a smaller side against Essendon and also Geelong, Aliir was just on the fringe of that, but (he's) absolutely required.

"He's an integral part of not only next year but the next 10 years. We've got Heath Grundy, who's been a fantastic key defender for us (and) who's probably got a couple of years to go, and we see Aliir playing a significant part in that transition.

"So his future is certainly with us from Aliir's point of view."

Harley also refuted reports Swans assistant coach Stuart Dew had pulled out of the race for the vacant Gold Coast coaching position.

"They're clearly running a process that's been played out pretty publically at the moment and Stuey's involved in that and we'll be kept across that," Harley said.