Sydney haven't totally ruled out trying to entice Kurt Tippett out of retirement to alleviate their ruck crisis.
But they will give the experienced Callum Sinclair and Darcy Cameron - who has yet to make his senior debut - first shot at filling the ruck vacancy.
The Swans are down on numbers in the vital position with 30-year-old Tippett retiring in January due to a serious lingering ankle injury and Sam Naismith suffering a season-ending knee injury on Wednesday.
Sinclair has been ruled out of Friday's pre-season game with Greater Western Sydney due to an ankle injury suffered against Brisbane last week.
That leaves Cameron as the only fit specialist ruckman on the Swans list and he was named in the side to face GWS.
Defender Aliir Aliir, a contender to pinch-hit in the ruck for Sydney, is also out with an ankle issue, but like Sinclair is tipped to be available for round one.
Tippett played 179 games across 10 seasons with Adelaide and Sydney and remains on the Swans' list.
"Technically Kurt could play, given he is still on the list," Swans' head of football Tom Harley said.
"However, he did retire with one of the reasons being the lengthy recovery from an ankle reconstruction.
"At this stage we'll be looking to work with our squad and clearly this presents an opportunity for the likes of Callum Sinclair and Darcy Cameron."
Sinclair, 28, has played 35 games for Sydney over the past two years and tallied 29 appearances for West Coast in the three seasons prior.
He has been used primarily as a back-up ruckman and tall forward.
West Australian Cameron was a third-round draft pick in 2016 and showed good signs in the 2017-pre season.
Finger and shoulder injuries stalled the 22-year-old's progress and he didn't play a senior game.
However, Sydney were sufficiently impressed by his potential to grant a contract extension until the end of the 2019 season.
Swans' speedster Zak Jones will have his first hitout of the pre-season on Friday after recovering from knee surgery.
GWS will give Toby Greene and Brett Deledio their first run of the season
GWS ruckman Rory Lobb will make his return in a curtain raiser between the two clubs' NEAFL teams.
