Sydney Swans midfielder Luke Parker will be in the mix for selection for this weekend’s season opener against GWS at Spotless Stadium.
The 22-year-old, who suffered a knock to his right eye in the Swans’ NAB Challenge clash against West Coast at Blacktown, has made a swift recovery from the injury and returned to competitive training this week.
Club physiotherapist Matt Cameron confirmed to SwansTV that the young midfielder would be fit to play this weekend.
“His eye injury meant that he had a bit of bleeding in the eye but that’s resolved now,” Cameron told SwansTV in the weekly HCF Injury Update.
“He started training with the team last week and he’ll be fully training this week in the lead up to the match.”
Cameron said the Swans had pulled up well from their final pre-season practice match against the Brisbane Lions last Saturday, with no injuries registered from the clash.
“Everyone pulled up really well,” he said.
“Buddy got a knock on the knee and landed on his knee but he’s pulled up well from that.
“We wrapped him in cotton wool for the second half.
“Everyone else, although they were tired because it was quite hot, pulled up well.”
The Swans will enter Saturday afternoon’s round one clash with GWS with a reasonably fit list, with forwards Kurt Tippett and dual Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes the only senior players unavailable for the match.
Speaking on SEN1116’s ‘The Run Home’ on Monday night, coach John Longmire said he hoped to see Tippett, who has been battling knee tendonitis, back on the park early in the season.
“Kurt is running now and he was almost at the stage of playing a few weeks ago but didn’t quite get there,” Longmire said on SEN1116.
“We play this week and then obviously a bye next week and then Collingwood, so we’re hoping (to have him back) around then.”
Longmire said he hoped to see Goodes, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since round 13 last season, return to the field in the next month.
“Goodesy might be three or four weeks away, but we’re still a bit unsure about him,” he said.
“We were hoping to get him right for round one, but that won’t be the case.”
