Paul Roos says Sydney is in dire need of forward help for Lance Franklin and midfield speed

SYDNEY’S premiership coach Paul Roos says the Swans have two glaring needs, a swingman to support Lance Franklin and outside speed in the midfield this trade period.

THE Swans’ war chest is growing by the day, Dan Hannebery and Gary Rohan have requested trades and Nic Newman could be the next to go.

Like Jake Lloyd, Newman is yet to re-sign for 2019 and looks highly unlikely to be playing in Sunday’s NEAFL grand final against Southport despite being fit to line up.

It all points to the Swans most active trade period in more than a decade.

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Paul Roos says his old team has two glaring needs, a swingman to support Lance Franklin and outside speed in the midfield.

Tom Lynch would be the perfect fit but with the Gold Coast Sun almost certain to go to the defending premiers Richmond it’s his teammate Steven May who Roos believes would fit the bill or someone like Collingwood tall Darcy Moore.

If they decide to go small and fast Andrew Gaff would fit their needs perfectly.

Lance Franklin battles Steven May. Picture: Adam Head

“There are two big needs,” Roos told The Daily Telegraph.

“The first is a swingman like Steven May who would be perfect, Tom Lynch is also ideal for them. Darcy Moore is obviously in the conversation and he’s a good fit as well. They also need some genuine outside speed, another Lewis Jetta type.”

Support for Franklin is also a priority after Sydney managed just four goals in their 49-point belting at the hands of GWS.

Roos believes the Swans aren’t as bad as Saturday’s low output indicates with key players like Sam Naismith, Sam Reid, Callum Mills and Lewis Melican returning from injury next year the personnel changes don’t need to be comprehensive to have them back in the premiership hunt.

“They have the nucleus of a very good team,” Roos said.

“If you look at Swans, Sam Naismith comes back which pushes Callum Sinclair forward to help Buddy out. Then if Sam Reid comes back in you’ve got depth in your forward line. It looks vastly different.

Sam Naismith jumps over Tom Bellchambers. Picture: Michael Klein

Callum Mills flies high but drops the mark. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Lewis Melican comes back in defence at centre half-back. Callum Mills comes back into defence or into the midfield, Zak Jones goes onto a wing, Isaac Heeney goes into the midfield if Hanners goes. They’ve got Heeney and Mills who are two of the best midfielders in the comp going into the draft a few years ago so there is depth there.”

Roos says the need for a key position player who can go forward and back will depend on just how well Reid (quad and Achilles) and Melican (hamstring) recover from their injuries. Heath Grundy’s retention for another year is clearly an insurance policy in this area.

“What they do with their recruiting depends on where they think Melican and Reid are at,” Roos said.

“They have Grundy for another year to get them through and Aliir Aliir is really coming on now.”

The former Sydney and Melbourne coach also pointed out there is still plenty of work to do to strike a deal for Hannebery.

St Kilda will have little interest in giving up its first pick (No.3) for Hannebery and have no second-round selection available for trade.

When Roos was coach in 2007 Ryan O’Keefe requested a trade for family reasons but a deal wasn’t able to be done with Carlton.

“They may not be able to do a trade,” Roos said.

“We couldn’t do it with Ryan O’Keefe in 2007. He won the best-and-fairest next year and the Norm Smith Medal in 2012, so it worked out OK.”

Originally published as Paul Roos says Sydney is in dire need of forward help for Lance Franklin and midfield speed