SYDNEY is hopeful key forward Joel Amartey will prove his fitness and play against Carlton, while skipper Callum Mills is also a chance to play at some level this weekend.
Amartey shapes as a valuable inclusion against the Blues (4-5) at the SCG on Friday night as the Swans (3-6) look to return to winning ways.
He was originally slated to return in round three, but his recovery was slower than expected, having been listed as a week-to-week proposition before being named as a test against Carlton.
Sydney coach Dean Cox says Mills should be poised to make a return to football, either in the AFL or reserves, if he completes training on Wednesday.
Mills spent eight months last year on the sidelines following shoulder and calf injuries and also missed the preliminary final and Grand Final due to a hamstring issue.
He has played just seven AFL games since September 8, 2023.
“With Callum, we’ve always said we’ll sit down with him following each session about what the next one looks like,” Cox said on Wednesday.
“I don’t like getting too far ahead before players actually tick off what they need to.”
Amartey has been sorely missed up forward after straining his hamstring in the second quarter of their Gather Round loss to Collingwood.
The key forward had kicked nine majors from five games before his injury.
“He’s trained for a week and a bit. We expect if he can get through training today that he’ll be available.”
Joel Amartey kicks the ball during Sydney’s clash against North Melbourne in round four, 2025. Picture: Getty Images
Cox could also call on Taylor Adams, who made his return from a hamstring injury in the VFL last Saturday.
The midfielder had 14 disposals and three clearances in their loss to Essendon on managed minutes.
“One thing you find with the VFL, they probably didn’t perform at the level that we needed them to as a team and a collective, so Taylor was a part of that,” Cox said.
“That’s one thing we’ll have to work out, what it does look like.”
