Injury bug bites Swans extra hard

THE Swans have paid a huge price for their Sydney Derby win with Sam Reid ruled out for eight weeks with a quadriceps tendon injury and Lewis Melican out for two to three weeks with a hamstring strain.

Darcy Cameron and Harry Marsh are the likely candidates to replace the injured pair.

Already dealing with the offseason retirement of Kurt Tippett and the season-ending knee injury to Sam Naismith, coach John Longmire has a massive headache ahead of Saturday’s clash with a resurgent Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.

Reid was playing in his first game for the year after missing Rounds 1 and 2 with hamstring tightness.

“It’s a tough game and it happened in the last five minutes when the match was in the balance,” Longmire said.

“It was not something that you can be conservative with if you are trying to win the game. It was very simple, he just turned, there wasn’t much in it at all. He has an extended period to get himself right, he’s a critical player for us.”

Reid missed the entire 2016 season with hamstring and calf injuries.