IT’S BACK TO THE FUTURE AS SWANS STARS SUSPENDED
SYDNEY Swans will go back to the future to deal with the loss of twin towers Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett to one- week suspensions.
Both players accepted the early guilty plea and one- game bans after separate reports from a fiery Friday night loss to Richmond.
The Swans won the 2012 flag before Franklin and Tippett arrived, using Adam Goodes and Sam Reid as their key forwards and will look to the pair again against Port Adelaide on Thursday night.
In the 2012 season, Reid was the main focal point up forward, kicking 31 goals and taking 68 marks.
“That’s the obvious one,” Swans coach John Longmire said. “Sam has played centre half- forward for a fair bit of the time he has been at the Swans.
“He has played midfield, back and forward this year and we know he’s capable of being in our front half and if we need him to do it again he can.”
In the same year, Goodes booted 37 goals and took 103 marks when he played in the midfield and forward line. “Adam is more than capable,” Longmire said. “His role has changed as he’s got a bit older and the team has evolved but he can play a few different roles.
“If you look at Sam Reid or Adam Goodes or whoever we bring in, they’ve played a lot of footy in the front half.”
Since Franklin moved from Hawthorn to Sydney at the end of 2013, the Swans have only played one game without he and Tippett.
The result was a 79- point win over the Brisbane Lions in round seven last year but Port Adelaide will present a much tougher prospect on Thursday night at the Sydney Cricket Ground.