Tippett could get a new Swans shot

SYDNEY has not ruled out a dramatic recall of retired big man Kurt Tippett as the Swans confront a ruck crisis.

The Swans’ ruck stocks were thrown into disarray on Wednesday when first-choice tall Sam Naismith suffered a season-ending ACL injury during match simulation.

With Gold Coaster Tippett announcing his retirement in January, Naismith was poised to pilot Sydney’s gun midfield.

Callum Sinclair will now be forced to shoulder a biggerthan-expected load, with yetto-debut Darcy Cameron potentially having to play sooner than expected as his deputy.

Coach John Longmire also raised the prospect of defender Aliir Aliir being deployed as a mobile support ruckman. But the 202cm Tippett remains on the Swans’ playing list given he quit in January after telling teammates he hadn’t been able to fully recover from postseason ankle surgery.

Swans football manager Tom Harley said, while highly unlikely, the door remained open for a break-glass-in-caseof-emergency return.

“Technically Kurt could play, given he is still on the list,” he said.