Sydney Swans ruckman Sam Naismith will make his long-awaited return when the Swans’ VFL team takes on Collingwood in a curtain closer at the SCG on Saturday, May 15.

Naismith has played just 30 games in his career, with an ACL rupture and a long list of complications impacting his past three seasons.

The 28-year-old ruckman will play half of the VFL match as the next step in his recovery, on the back of six weeks of training.

Teammate Jordan Dawson says the Swans will be there in support, cheering him on.

"We'll be up in the stands after the game and watching,” Dawson said.

“It’s a bit of a different aspect, usually a curtain raiser, but we will be there.

“It'll be awesome to see Sam back out there.

"He's had a tough couple of years, with the two knee reconstructions and family stuff, so we will be out there supporting him and it should be good to see him play again.”

After the past couple of years, Dawson said it was inspiring to see how his teammate had bounced back from the adversity.

“He's come back quicker than what we thought as well, It just shows how hard he works off the track and in the gym, in his rehab, to get back.”

“It's very inspiring to see the way he's gone about it the last two years.

“He has had a tough run and it will be awesome to see him back out there.”

The Swans VFL match will be part of an unusual order of events at the SCG on Saturday, when the VFL team plays a 'curtain closer' after the AFL team,

The VFL side match will commence 35 mins after the full time of the AFL clash, with the first bounce at approximately 4:45pm.