For the Sydney Swans yesterday, the bad news was that Sunday's best on ground Leo Barry is likely to miss Sunday's significant Port Adelaide match and ruckman Jason Ball is definitely out.
However, in Sydney's favour is the team's uncanny record of winning the apparently un-winnable. They did it last year against Port on the South Australian side's home ground in a qualifying final and they did it on Sunday against the undefeated St Kilda.
Roos said yesterday that while it felt good to have knocked off the ladder leaders, the injuries from the match had turned out to be worse than the club expected.
"Ball had an MRI (scan) and has a slight hamstring tear so he's unlikely to play this week," Roos said. "Leo's ankle is probably a bit worse than we'd hoped, as well, so we'll just have to wait and see on him."
Roos admitted that replacing Ball will be a problem, given the club's lack of available tall players.
"Unfortunately, the win's come at a bit of a cost, but we'll enjoy the win and then worry about that later in the week," Roos said.
"We are hoping (Stephen) Doyle will play a bit more in the ruck but we know that he certainly can't play 120 minutes.
"We'd need to bring someone else in. It might be young (James) Meiklejohn coming in for his first game for the season."
The Swans coach ruled out using Adam Goodes in the ruck after the Brownlow medallist tore his posterior cruciate in a ruck contest earlier this year.
"I certainly don't think we'd be risking Adam in the ruck at this particular stage, given what we've been able to achieve with him down back and his form there," Roos said.
Barry soundly defeated Fraser Gehrig on Sunday and would be a certainty to line up on Warren Tredrea if he is fit this weekend.
Port Adelaide's acting captain said he had been looking forward to playing on the Swans defender. "He's played in a different role this year. I'd expect to get him if he does come up. But there's also Goodes, who has been playing well in defence, too," Tredrea said.
"Barry's played more as a running half-back flanker in the last couple of years but he seems to be relishing the big jobs.
"I hope he comes up; I hope I get to play against him.
"It's just a challenge every week. I played on (Justin) Leppitsch last week and he's a similar type player.
"So, if there's anything, there's a bit of form on playing on those guys, compared with those who just shut down and are straight-out negative."
The Swans are not expecting reliable defender Andrew Schauble back for his first game of the year for another three weeks. Young gun Adam Schneider is also ruled out for the same period.
Forward Nick Davis should be available for this weekend's match after missing the Saints game with a bruised ankle.
Port have similar injury problems, and Tredrea denies they will be looking to square up for last year's finals loss.
"I think anything that's happened in the past has happened," Tredrea said.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...5E2722,00.html
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