ADAM Goodes, Brett Kirk, Jude Bolton and Ryan O’Keefe are among a host of senior players set for the Sydney Swans' NAB Cup clash with Port Adelaide on Sunday.

But Swans coach Paul Roos confirmed his side was undergoing generational change and said the result of the Canberra clash was "irrelevant" as the club developed its younger players.

"I think for us, we’ve always declared [the NAB Cup is] an opportunity to play young kids. We’ll probably have a dozen senior players but we know Port have probably got their best team available," Roos said from Lakeside Oval on Wednesday.

"In terms of the result, it’s irrelevant to us. Once you get out on the field you’re obviously 100 per cent flat out to try and win games of footy, no question.

"But for us, we do need to see who that [back-up] ruckman's going to be, we’ll scramble a little bit down back with our defenders with Leo (Barry) out … and it’ll be a youngish forward line as well."

With a place on the senior list available after veteran defender Barry was placed on the long-term injury list, Roos said there was extra incentive for the Swans' youngsters to shine in the pre-season.

One of the newcomers will be former Canadian rugby union international Mike Pyke, who is expected to play a considerable amount of Sunday's game in the ruck.

But the young players will be complemented by experience against a Power side Roos predicts will be missing only one or two from its best line-up.

Goodes, Kirk, Jude Bolton and O'Keefe could be joined by Martin Mattner, Amon Buchanan and former Collingwood utility Rhyce Shaw.

And several others, including Barry Hall, will be available if the Swans progress into the second week of the NAB Cup – something they haven’t done since Roos’ first full season as coach in 2003.

"I think the main thing for us is that a lot of our guys are available either this week or next week," Roos said.

"Next week, Hally will come back and the other guys who haven’t played this week will come back – Lewis Roberts-Thomson, (Luke) Ablett, (Jared) Crouch. So we’re really we’re not far away from actually getting most of our players ready.

"A couple of them are just a week short and you don’t want to rush them at this time of the year."