Following that performance, Swans coach John Longmire confirmed to reporters on Monday that he expects the 34-year-old to be available for Saturday afternoon's clash at the SCG.<\/p>\n
MORE: Longmire baffled by reporter's Buddy question<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n "Lance pulled up fine and we expect him to play this week. It's good to get him back in the team," Longmire said. <\/p>\n "He has done a lot of work since August last year, he has done a lot of strength work and he has been training for quite a while now so itis great to get him back into the team.<\/p>\n "He has got himself in pretty good nick quite a few times, and he just hasn't quite got there so itis great to be able to have him back available to play, ready to go.<\/p>\n "We will train here this week and he will be right to go on Saturday."<\/p>\n Franklin's addition to the squad will prove a major boost for the club after the Swans kick-started their 2021 season on the weekend with an upset win over the Brisbane Lions<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Swans have missed out on finals football for the past two seasons but with a new crop of young guns, there is growing hype the club can bounce back and make a shock September appearance in 2021.<\/p>\n Former Brownlow Medal winner Gerard Healy was one pundit who lauded the highly touted crop of youngsters following the win over the Lions.<\/p>\n "The beauty of this game has been the way the Swans have moved the ball, how they've played football," Healy said.<\/p>\n "This is a group of kids who have got high kicking skill levels and high winning-the-ball levels, and the game has opened up for them by rule changes and maybe coaching philosophies. That's worked to their favour."<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here!<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
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