Don't miss any of the news involving the Swans as we bring you everything from the newspapers around the country from Monday 7th September.

1 WILL THE REST BITE FREO ON THE BUM?

Lose and he’s a moron, win and he’s a genius. Certainly the “mass rest” is a high-risk, potentially high reward play. But since when has Ross Lyon ever shirked the hard call?

As we know, he’s has done it all before — in 2013 with the Dockers and 2009 with St Kilda. It worked spectacularly two years ago when Freo’s returning stars helped upset Geelong on their own turf in a qualifying final.

Lyon will back his men to again flick the switch. It’s more likely the Dockers’ lack of scoring power (they are ranked 11th for points-for) that will prove their undoing in any defeat.

2 CAN THE SWANS NEUTRALISE FREO AT THE STOPPAGES?

A critical area of this game. The Swans, without inside warhorses Luke Parker and Kieran Jack, must break even or limit the Docker damage at ball-ups and boundary throw-ins to stand any chance. The in-form Swans — winners of their last four — will know this is where they are vulnerable. But they’ll also believe they’re betting going forward and also more unpredictable given they’ve had 11, 10 and 10 different goalkickers in their past three matches. Lance Franklin, a better Sam Reid and red-hot Kurt Tippett also have the potential to stretch the defence.

SYDNEY have confirmed that the only way co-captain Kieren Jack will play again this season is if they make the grand final.

Scans yesterday confirmed the star midfielder will be out of action for three weeks because of damage to the medial ligament in his left knee.

He is one of several big injury worries for teams heading into week one of the finals.

HAWTHORN found there was life without Lance Franklin and so have the Swans after almost all of their tall and small forwards stepped up in his absence.

The multi-pronged attack has worked a treat for Alastair Clarkson, whose Hawks won last year’s premiership the season after losing Franklin.

Swans coach John Longmire is hoping the benefits from Franklin’s injury absence will kick into gear in Saturday’s qualifying final against Fremantle in Perth.

Franklin has been back for the past two weeks, but he is clearly still trying to find form and fitness after missing four games in the previous five weeks.

There was no hiding the disappointment within the Sydney Swans the morning after their final round victory over Gold Coast Suns with co-captain Kieren Jack out for potentially the entire finals series with a knee injury.

Jack will be out for up to three weeks and is tipped to only return in time for the grand final, should the Swans qualify. Despite the setback, Sydney are confident Jack has not played the last game of the season and believe there is enough quality of depth in youngsters who can step in and help the club reach the decider.

The Swans will have their other captain Jarrad McVeigh back for this Saturday's final against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval, but it's the wealth of talented youngsters that has buoyed forward Sam Reid. The 23-year-old admits the loss of Jack is a significant blow, but was confident the likes of youngsters Zak Jones and Jake Lloyd can step up. 

FREMANTLE superstar Nat Fyfe “needs to jump some hurdles” to convince coach Ross Lyon that he’s ready for the finals.

Fyfe, who is suffering from shin splints, missed his second game in row on Saturday when a skeletal Fremantle were ripped apart by non-finalists Port Adelaide.

The Power triumphed by 69 points against the Dockers, who rested a dozen mainstays knowing top spot was secure regardless of the result.

Lyon expects all players, including Fyfe, to return for Fremantle’s home qualifying final.

“Certainly that is the plan,” he said after Port’s 18.14 (122) to 8.5 (53) win at Adelaide Oval.

THE Swans have claimed a top four finish with a 63-point win over Gold Coast at the SCG but it has come at a heavy price with captain Kieren Jack in serious doubt for the finals with a knee injury.

Jack suffered what looks like a medial ligament strain to his left knee late in the first quarter when the Suns’ Danny Stanley fell across his knee at a centre bounce.

Adding insult to the injury, it appeared that Stanley was pushed into Jack by Swans’ teammate Dan Hannebery.

Jack was substituted at quarter-time for Lewis Jetta.

SYDNEY chairman Andrew Pridham has declared the Swans want to become Australia’s powerhouse club as they aim for the biggest membership of any AFL team.

“I think it is inevitable we will have the biggest membership in the AFL some time in the next 15 years,” Pridham told The Sunday Telegraph.

The Swans are on track to have more than 50,000 members in the near future and may soon need to create a waiting list for those wanting to sign up, due to the SCG’s capacity.

“Our objective is to keep on increasing,” Pridham said.

“Obviously we had the biggest increase in the AFL in 2015. Next year our objective is clearly for the first time ever to have over 50,000 members. It’s something we will aim for and we are not far off it now.”

It was mission accomplished for Sydney on Saturday night but not without a major blow to their premiership chances.

The Swans secured a top-four berth but it has come at a huge price after Kieren Jack hurt his knee early in their 63-point victory over Gold Coast.

Jack will miss two to three weeks after straining the medial ligament in his left knee, which means he may not return this year unless the Swans win through to the grand final.

"The initial diagnosis from the doctor is it's a medial strain so two or three weeks," said Swans coach John Longmire.

"You get an injury around your knee at this time of year you're not doing cartwheels so he's not too happy about it. That's football and he's going to do everything in his power to give himself the best possible chance."

IT’S not easy living up to a famous surname — just ask Jeff Jordan, Nathan Ablett or Jack Nicklaus II.

But Brandon Jack is making a good fist of it as he emerges from the twin shadows of his brother and Swans captain Kieren and his even better-known father Garry.

Today’s final regular-season game against Gold Coast Suns will be Brandon’s eighth in a row, his longest stretch since making his start in the AFL in 2013.

“I’m happy to be in the team and keep my spot every week but there’s definitely room for improvement,” Jack said. “I’m still learning the small-forward role and I need to find ways to (make an) impact (on) the scoreboard more. My marking and kicking is something I’ve always wanted to improve on.

“My pressure and tackling has always been my strength and now my fitness has improved as well.”

MANY a brave man has restlessly walked out on to the SCG turf and laid everything on the line.

This hallowed place specialises in do-or-die moments. Of heartache or triumph. Of winners or losers.

As an SCG member, Mark Headon knows this intimately, and is hoping he’s on the right side of such a ledger come 4.30pm today.

A simple “I do” should do the trick.

Before gates open for the Sydney Swans’ final game of the regular season, Mark will marry his high school crush Kate Johnston, right there on the SCG turf, in the arena of dreams, right in front of the sacred Members Stand.

The less forgiving Sydney supporters will no doubt take schadenfreude at Nick Malceski's position. When he walks off the SCG on Saturday night, drawing the curtain on a forgettable 2015, just a drop punt away on the Members wing, his former teammates will be gearing themselves for a tilt at a third grand final in four years.

It will be a strange feeling for Malceski, who for just the second time in his career can book a September holiday, Gold Coast having bowed out of the finals race long ago. Sometimes, that is the price one pays for choosing financial security, or heading home, over the prospect of on-field success.

Gary Ablett has felt it the past five years, Malceski will this season. But aside from Warwick Capper, whose career went into freefall after leaving Sydney at the end of 1987, few players are prepared to say they made the wrong call.

The session was led by former Sydney Swan and now Sydney Swans Academy head coach and Koori Mail columnist Michael O’Loughlin.

The focus just wasn’t on Australian rules – the youngsters’ skills were tested over a variety of sports.

“My vision is for a kid from Redfern to go on and play for the Swans,” O’Loughlin told The Daily Telegraph.

“The Aboriginal people from around Sydney, La Perouse, Matraville and Maroubra love the Swannies.

“Now the next step is to try and get these boys to engage and try to take up the sport and become a part of our academy and one or two go on and play in the big time.”

Mark Headon and Kathryn Johnston will be married in the centre of the Sydney Cricket Ground at 4pm, before the Round 23 Sydney Swans-Gold Coast Suns match after winning a competition mounted by Swans sponsor QBE.

The Swans fans met at Port Macquarie High School but were "just mates" who had a few classes together.

After graduating in 1997, they went separate ways and didn't see each other for 10 years.

Fate played a hand when they literally bumped into each other at a music festival in Sydney seven years ago.

The 35 year olds have been together ever since, spending three years travelling and working in Ireland and Scotland before setting up home in Neutral Bay.

Mark said they had discussed getting married while living overseas but work commitments, trying to buy a house and life in general prevented them from taking the plunge.

But when Kate found the competition they decided to enter to try and win an unforgettable experience valued at more than $46,000.