Lance Franklin is a confirmed starter for the Sydney Swans' important intra-club match on Wednesday, but fellow key forwards Kurt Tippett and Adam Goodes will sit it out of the clash.
Franklin has been on a limited program since he joined the Swans, due in part to his late finish to last season and a minor quad problem, but he will contest his new club's final hit-out before its first NAB Challenge game next week.
It will be a full match at Lakeside Oval officiated by an AFL umpire and will also involve Swans Tom Mitchell and Lewis Jetta as they recover from their respective ankle and knee problems.
But most eyes will be on Franklin in another key step for the club's new signing.
“Lance will be out there and he’ll be having a really good hit-out,” Longmire said.
“We expect him to play about three-quarters of the game, maybe a bit more or a bit less depending on how he is feeling.
“It will be a good chance for him to have a run around.
“He did some competitive last week for us and has pulled up really well over the weekend, so he’ll be running around and having a really good hit-out with his fellow team mates on Wednesday.”
The news is not as positive for Goodes and Tippett, who have experienced minor setbacks in their recoveries from knee injuries.
Goodes, who hasn't played since injuring his knee against Port Adelaide in round 13 last year, has had to tone down his training workload.
"He's been a bit slower," Longmire said. "He was going really well until about three weeks ago and then he's just been a little bit delayed with his knee getting used to the load.
"He was ready to jump into skills and pulled up a little bit sore, so we've just backed him off a little bit and hopefully we'll run him again this Friday."
The club is also taking a cautious approach with Tippett, who injured his knee in the semi-final victory over Carlton last season and has recently experienced some tendonitis.
"He's been a bit slower too," Longmire said.
"He had a bit of tendonitis so we've just been managing his load.
"He ran today and he'll train again Friday. We were tossing up whether to play him on Wednesday or not, but we've decided to train him on Friday."
The Swans' other big men who have had limited pre-seasons, including Sam Reid, Lewis Roberts-Thomson and Mike Pyke, will all play in a promising sign just over a month before round one.
“Roberts-Thomson, Pyke and Sam Reid, those guys we expect to play on Wednesday," Longmire said.
“They’ve been doing really well to this point and have done what we want them to do and they’ll be having a really good hit-out for us on Wednesday.”
Longmire added that defender Rhyce Shaw will also play extended game time on Wednesday.
“Shawy will have a run around," he said.
“He’s extremely enthusiastic and can’t wait to have a run and a kick with the boys.
“He’s a bit like Sam Reid in that he missed a lot of football last year, so he’s really looking forward to playing and having a good run around.”
Wednesday’s match will also see Mitchell and Jetta get some valuable game time under their belts.
Mitchell badly tore ligaments in his ankle in the semi-final against the Blues, while Jetta had minor knee surgery last month.
“Tommy Mitchell will probably play about three quarters depending on how the game is going and how he’s feeling.
“Lewis Jetta will probably play a bit less, but he’s still playing, which is great to have at this time of the year after he had an operation three weeks ago on his knee.
“He’s bounced back really well and we’re really pleased to get him back in the group.”
Longmire also confirmed that new recruits Tom Derickx and Jeremy Laidler will take part in Wednesday’s intra-club clash.
The Swans commence their NAB Challenge against GWS in Canberra on Thursday, February 20.
