Sydney co-captain Jarrad McVeigh doesn’t expect the AFL’s reigning premiers will tinker with their gameplan too much in the absence of spearhead Kurt Tippett.
Tippett limped off in the seventh minute of the side’s semi-final against Carlton, with the same knee injury to prevent him from taking on Fremantle in Saturday’s preliminary final at Patersons Stadium.
McVeigh conceded the Swans would feel the loss of a quality player like Tippett against the Dockers, but noted it was up to his teammates to use the ball as smartly as they did against the Blues when the star recruit went down.
“He’s been outstanding for us this year,” McVeigh said.
“He hasn’t played great in the last three weeks, but before that he was one of the best players in the AFL. He was kicking a lot of goals.
“A player like him demands the ball. So it’s more up to the midfielders and defenders, about the way you move the ball up the field. There are more options than just one guy.”
Sydney will want a big game from Jesse White, who looms as their main focal point.
McVeigh denied coach John Longmire would have to reshape or reinvent the side’s style of play in the absence of former Adelaide star Tippett.
“Not at all. We don’t change our gameplan for personnel. Guys come in and play a role,” he said.
Ruckmen Shane Mumford and Mike Pyke will also spend time forward, and are likely to be the Swans’ key targets alongside White.
“The way we sort of played on the weekend once Kurt went down, I think I only came off the ground for about a minute of the game,” Mumford said.
“So I definitely think I’ll be spending a bit of time forward as well as in the ruck.”