Swans prepare for any Bombers team

The Sydney Swans take on Essendon in their season opener on Saturday not knowing which players they'll be up against.

Sydney coach John Longmire concedes he's facing "unique circumstances" with enormous uncertainty over the Essendon team to face his side in their AFL season-opener on Saturday.

The AFL's anti-doping tribunal will on Tuesday hand down its verdicts in the long-running case involving 34 former and current Bombers players.

Any players found not guilty will be free to play in the ANZ Stadium match, but there's still doubt about whether any players found guilty would be suspended pending likely appeals.

Essendon could either be at full strength or, at worst, could field a makeshift outfit similar to those used in the pre-season.

Preparing for his 100th match as Swans coach, Longmire is doing his best to get his team ready regardless.

"We're full on planning already," Longmire said. "Our preparations are underway.

"If they need to adjust they will but we'll make sure to cover all bases and prepare our players to play the best football they can regardless of who's playing in the opposition.

"From a coaching perspective you look at a number of different scenarios, but you always get back to what we can control and that's really about the kind of football we want to play.

"It's different and they are unique circumstances but we have to make sure we focus on our football.

"We know if we get back to pressuring the opposition, putting on enormous pressure around the ball and tackling hard, that usually helps regardless of who's playing in the opposition strip."

Longmire rated 18-year-old Isaac Heeney "a strong chance" to play on Saturday but ruled out Ben McGlynn (hip).

He confirmed stars Lance Franklin (concussion) and Kieren Jack (oblique) were fit for selection after being taken to hospital during the Swans' pre-season win over Greater Western Sydney eight days ago.

Key forward Kurt Tippett, who was ruled out of the pre-season with a lower leg injury, and Jarrad McVeigh (minor calf strain) will also be available for Saturday's game.


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Source: AAP


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