Track Watch: Logan McDonald misses Swans training after suffering ankle injury against Port

All eyes were set to be on a pair on injured Swans when they hit the training track on Sunday. One however, was a notable absentee ahead of next week’s grand final against Brisbane.

Sydney key forward Logan McDonald was a notable absentee from the Swans’ open training session on Sunday morning at the SCG, but there is growing confidence that he will be available for the grand final.

McDonald was subbed out of the preliminary final after rolling his ankle during the third quarter. He completed a fitness test at three-quarter time and continued to play out the game, but with the result all but sewn up, the decision was made to rest him for Robbie Fox.

While he has been getting around gingerly and had ice strapped to the ankle post game, there is a belief that if it was the grand final or if the result was still up in the air, he could have played on.

McDonald with ice on his ankle immediately after the win over Port Adelaide. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The rest of his teammates had a light training session at the SCG before spending more than 30 minutes signing autographs for the hundreds of fans who had turned out. Meanwhile, McDonald was back at Swans HQ rehabbing his ankle, particularly focused on work in the pool and building up the strength in his ankle.

There is also increasing optimism that Callum Mills could be a chance to take on the Lions on Saturday. While the captain still faces an uphill battle to be named, he has progressed strongly in the 12 days since suffering the hamstring injury.

The next 72 hours are set to be crucial for Mills, with the Swans’ main training session for the week on Monday. A final call will likely be made at Wednesday’s training session to assess how his hamstring has pulled up.

Mills has progressed particularly well from his hamstring injury and is an outside chance to be named for the grand final. Picture: Phil Hillyard

It means the Swans could head into the grand final unchanged, or in a best-case scenario, with Mills to return. If McDonald does miss the game, youngster Caiden Cleary looms as the most likely replacement given his ability to play as a pressure forward and the energy he would bring inside 50.

Cleary spent some extra time taking shots on goal on Sunday while the rest of his teammates already had Sharpies in hand signing autographs. He was one of three emergencies named for the game against Port Adelaide, with Taylor Adams left out of the squad completely.

The spot would likely be between Cleary and Adams, with Pete Ladhams unlikely to be brought in despite being the most obvious like-for-like replacement for McDonald.

Originally published as Track Watch: Logan McDonald misses Swans training after suffering ankle injury against Port