Don't miss any of the news involving the Swans as we bring you everything from the newspapers around the country from Friday 18th September.

ADAM Goodes is used to carrying his team on his back, but yesterday he carried a much more important symbol — the No.23.

Goodes wore Lance Franklin’s jersey number in a show of support for his troubled teammate during the SCG training session.

It was more proof, if any was needed, that Franklin will be in every players’ mind as they run out to play their semi-final against North Melbourne at ANZ Stadium tomorrow night.

DANE Rampe’s versatility will be put to the test as he confronts North Melbourne’s land of the giants forward line.

Just four years ago Rampe was playing in the Sydney Football League. Today he’s one of the first picked in John Longmire’s line-up and a go-to player for tough defensive assignments.

They don’t get much tougher than this week’s opponent, which boasts a forward line featuring Drew Petrie, Jarrad Waite and Ben Brown.

“I love being thrown the key match-up and thrive on the challenge,” Rampe told The Daily Telegraph. “I like being the underdog as well like when I played on Josh Kennedy. That’s probably because if you get beaten nobody expects much of you anyway.

KIEREN Jack has lost his race to be fit for tomorrow’s semi-final against North Melbourne at ANZ Stadium but defender Nick Smith is back in after recovering from a hamstring injury.

The All Australian defender has missed the past two matches for the Swans.

“He’s a very important player for us,” Swans coach John Longmire said.

It was a case of close but not close enough for Kieren Jack but Sydney will welcome back another All Australian, Nick Smith, for the cut throat semi-final against North Melbourne on Saturday night.

Deemed earlier in the week to be "highly unlikely" to play, Jack made a bold 11th-hour bid to prove he had overcome a knee injury but fell just short of the mark.

After running several laps at high pace on Tuesday, Jack upped the ante on Thursday by completing some agility drills but was still in discomfort. Nor was he confident enough that his injury could withstand the intensity of an important final, leaving him no option but to sit out another week.

"There's too much on the line if it went pear-shaped early. Unless you are really sure you can come through, it's not worth it," Jack said.

"We were really close. It was touch and go. In the end, common sense needed to prevail. It's frustrating, because you are so close. You're just that little bit off performing at that level that warrants your place in the team.”

Dane Rampe is not the slightest bit daunted by how Jarrad Waite torched Richmond. In fact he likes his opponents to be in form, the hotter the better: it means he is in the game more.

Although a latecomer to AFL ranks, the Sydney born and raised defender is not short of confidence. Rather than settling for lesser opponents, he likes being given the job on the opposition's gun forward.

It does not always work out that way, for Rampe is effectively the Swans' No.3 tall defender, but it has not been uncommon for Swans coach John Longmire to break glass in case of emergency for his services.

Against West Coast in round 17, Rampe was moved to Josh Kennedy after two early goals. The Coleman medallist, despite a big advantage in height and size, managed just one more goal for the game.

Preparing for what could be his last AFL game, Adam Goodes gave a public show of support for struggling fellow Sydney superstar Lance Franklin.

Goodes wore Franklin's number 23 at training at the SCG on Thursday, the same day the Swans publicly slammed "unfair" rumours about Franklin's absence while he battles mental health issues.

While Franklin has been ruled out for the rest of the season and is expected back next season, dual Brownlow medallist Goodes faces a huge decision in coming days about whether to call it quits following his 17th season.

Over near the Victor Trumper Stand, strapped up like King Tutankhamun with a bung knee, Kieren Jack is running left, running right, running up, running down, running all around.

He’s squatting and pivoting to catch the waist-high pigskin. He’s skidding and stooping to grab the low-flung pigskin. Anxious glances are cast towards Nathan Gibbs. Whaddya reckon, doc?

Jack is accelerating. Jack is sidestepping. The wounded left knee has industrial-strength strapping from the thigh to the calf. He’s inconvenienced by a medial ligament strain. It’s 11.20am. Premiership defender Nick Smith and Jack, the Sydney Swans’ co-captain, are slogging through their fitness tests with the club medico in preparation for tomorrow night’s knockout semi-final against North Melbourne at ANZ Stadium.

Adam Goodes is wearing Lance Franklin’s No 23 in honour of an absent teammate being subjected to the ravages of depression and the rumour mill. Smith’s hamstring proves to be A-OK.

A helicopter hovers above the SCG as though North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has hired a chopper and some binoculars to see for himself whether Jack is willing and able. Whaddya reckon, doc?

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott will not be discounting Sydney because of the absence of elite personnel, saying it would be tantamount to ignoring their real strength.

Of course he’s not “overly disappointed” that Lance Franklin is not around to take up “ a lot of your planning”.

Sam Reid is out with a hamstring injury. Luke Parker is still a week away from making his return but will only play if the Swans reach the preliminary final. And there was another blow for the club yesterday, with co-captain Kieren Jack failing a fitness test.

All are guns, match winners who have torched the Kangaroos in the past, most embarrassingly in a preliminary final in Sydney a year ago. But Scott is mindful that although Sydney boast champions, their reputation and consistency over the past decade have been due to them being a champion team.

“The strength of the Sydney Swans over a generation has been their ability to compete really hard regardless of the 22 that represent them each week,” Scott said.

“They will present a significant challenge for us this week, as they always do, whether their personnel is a little bit different or not.”

BRENT Harvey has heard it all before. Too old. Goal hungry. Sook. Even after 407 games, Harvey’s rivals still try to get inside his head.

Last Sunday, as the champion Kangaroo set about breaking his own 10-year clearance record to help his team book a semi-final showdown against Sydney tomorrow night, it was a Richmond opponent’s turn to wind up Harvey.

“Shaun Grigg told me last week that I was selfish,” Harvey told The Daily Telegraph.

“And that I was taking up another young guy’s spot on the list.

“That was interesting, I thought. I keep those little things in the back of my mind.”

A YEAR is a long time in football.

Twelve months after falling 71 points short of Sydney in a preliminary final, the Kangaroos fly to the harbour city today looking to turn the tables.

A lot has changed, North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says, and he is confident his team is hitting its straps — as has long been the plan — at the prime time of year.

Lance Franklin’s fiancee, Jesinta Campbell, says the sidelined Swans star is doing well as he deals with mental health issues.

Sydney coach John Longmire announced on Monday that Franklin, who missed the team’s qualifying final loss to Fremantle last week, would not play again this season so he could focus on his rehabilitation.

Campbell yesterday said Franklin was doing “great”.

“He’s got the best support around him and we’re so grateful to everyone who has reached out to us, and he’s getting the best help possible and he’ll be back before we know it,” she said.