Injuries rule out big names ahead of clash against Fremantle Dockers.
Injuries to Kurt Tippett and Tom Mitchell have seen them ruled out of the Sydney Swans preliminary final against the Fremantle Dockers this weekend.
Swans coach John Longmire confirmed the pair will not be able to recover in time for the must-win game against the Dockers, who are looming as a darkhorse for the AFL title this season.
Tippett was subbed out of the Swans win over Carlton early in the first quarter with a lower-leg injury with the initial diagnosis showing the key forward had strained a ligament at the top of his fibula.
Longmire said the club knew of the injury before the clash with the Blues and said they rolled the dice in the hope Tippett would get through unscathed.
“He felt it a little bit on Thursday but then ran on Friday and ran fine on Friday, so we expected him to be fine going into the game,” Longmire told.
“Obviously it didn’t last long and a player fell across his leg in the first five minutes, which was probably the worst case scenario for him.
“It meant that we had to sub him, which was disappointing for him and us, and he’s obviously missed this week.”
If the Swans make the grand final Tippett is an outside chance, but after looking flat the past two weeks and now their injury concerns, with Mitchell needing surgery on his ankle injury, that looks to be an outside chance for the reigning AFL premiers.
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