Adam Goodes insists the Sydney Swans are not a one-man band

MANY see him as the man the Sydney Swans can't win without, but Adam Goodes insists they are much more than a one-man band.

Adam Goodes

MANY see him as the man the Sydney Swans can't win without, but Adam Goodes insists they are much more than a one-man band.

Goodes declared they can overcome the Western Bulldogs at the SCG today as he recovers from a quadriceps tear despite losing two of three matches while he has been out.

"I'm just one person," Goodes said.

"It's not about covering me, it's about us getting back to having 22 contributors playing the type of football we know we want to play."

Goodes has been sidelined for four weeks and is likely to miss another two games, including today's match against the Bulldogs.

Goodes cited the Round 4 win against North Melbourne as an example of how the team can succeed without him. "That game showed whenever we play like like a team we can beat anyone," Goodes said.

Unfortunately the evidence doesn't support Goodes' case. The Swans would most likely have beaten Adelaide at the SCG had he not hurt himself. They have subsequently lost to Richmond and St Kilda, with a win over bottom-placed Melbourne in between.

While he has been working overtime on his rehabilitation, Goodes has also been heavily involved as co-captain.

"The two losses have been very poor efforts, very un-Swans like football," he said. "Losing the contested ball count, missing tackles and not playing to team structures - when we play like that we lose."

Goodes is running at 70 per cent speed and if he can step it up next week he'll be able to resume training with the team.

"It's hard at the moment. The things I want to do to help the team, I'm not physically able to do it," Goodes said. "It is frustrating, but there are other ways I can influence the group. I can make sure the leaders are accountable."

Before this latest injury, Goodes had missed just seven matches in 14 seasons of senior football. He missed three games in his debut season in 1999 before playing 204 consecutive games until suspension brought an end to his remarkable run.

"It's definitely something different for me," Goodes said of being sidelined. "I hope I can keep going without any hiccups. The best-case scenario is to play after the bye, but you don't know what's around the corner."

Goodes said the work required for rehabilitation is even harder than preparing for matches.

"It's more physically draining," he said. "You're doing more than you do for a game. There's something wrong in the body and you're trying to bring as much positive energy into it as you can."

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