Goodes to be eased back for Swans - Sydney Morning Herald

AAP

Co-captain Adam Goodes will headline a list of welcomed inclusions for AFL premiers Sydney on the weekend, as coach John Longmire looks to juggle the playing minutes of some premiership-defence pillars.

Goodes trained well on Tuesday and is set to make his long-awaited return from a knee injury for the Swans on Saturday night, when they host Gold Coast in a pre-season clash at Blacktown in Sydney.

The dual Brownlow Medallist, who spent all of summer recovering from a torn PCL he sustained in last year's grand final win, and Rhyce Shaw (calf) will play their first pre-season matches.

Nick Malceski and Shane Mumford could possibly do the same but it's the return of Goodes, who is expected to play only one half against the Suns, that will excite red-and-white faithful the most.

"He (Goodes) has been training really well the last few weeks," Longmire said of the 319-game veteran, who will kick-start his 16th season with the club.

"He won't play the whole game, but he'll come in and hopefully get some quality game time under his belt.

"...He'll play a half of football this week, hopefully, and then we'll look to give him more game time next week."

Rebounding defenders Nick Smith (knee) and Marty Mattner (hip) will again miss out, but the pair could return next week as they look to show they're match fit ahead of the Swans' season-opening clash with Greater Western Sydney on March 30.

"A lot will depend on the next couple of weeks at training ... but we're not looking at that just yet," Longmire said of the duo's chances of playing in round one.

The raft of injuries, coupled with the Swans' later start to pre-season training due to their premiership success, has made for a difficult start to 2013.

"We've really been limited by some injuries and players coming back into the team, and some little niggles that we've had over the last couple of weeks," Longmire said of his charges, who have dropped the first three games of the year.

"... It's a challenge, but it's a challenge other teams cope with as well.

"So it's not unusual. That's just a matter of making sure we maximise all of our training and game time, and that's what we intend to do.

"... We think we'll be right by round one - and we've got to be."