Sydney's injury crisis has taken another turn for the worse, with defender Robbie Fox entering the AFL's concussion protocols after being flattened by a controversial bump.
Fox was left concussed after running slightly past the ball and being bumped to the ground by Geelong's Mitch Duncan in Saturday's 93-point loss to the defending premiers.
Duncan braced for contact and made high contact with Fox, with AFL match review officer Michael Christian deeming the action wasn't unreasonable.
Sydney coach John Longmire confirmed on Monday that Fox had entered the concussion protocols, ruling the versatile defender out of Saturday's clash with GWS.
Swans veteran Lance Franklin copped a one-match ban for an incident that had some similarities earlier this season.
"We lost Franklin after round one under circumstances when we thought he was trying to protect himself, and he was suspended," Longmire said.
"(We would like) just a little bit of consistency.
"But you also understand that not every incident that players get knocked in the head is going to get suspended either.
"We're all mindful of that, we also understand that things can happen in a game of footy."
Along with losing Fox this week, Sydney will also be without midfielder Matt Roberts for at least several weeks with a suspected medial ligament injury.
The pair join the likes of Franklin (knee), Paddy McCartin (concussion), Tom McCartin (concussion), Dane Rampe (neck), Joel Amartey (hamstring), Lewis Melican (adductor), Sam Reid (glute), and Sam Wicks (shoulder) on the Swans' injury list.
Franklin, Tom McCartin and Rampe are no guarantees to return this week, while ruckman Tom Hickey might need a second hit-out in the VFL after only recently recovering from a soft tissue injury.
"We're mindful he's 32 and coming back from three soft tissue injuries in a row," Longmire said of Hickey.
"We've got to make these decisions based upon what the team needs, what we'd like in a structural sense, but also what the players can actually do and whether he'll be right to play.
"Whether that's Tom (Hickey), Tom McCartin, or Ramps, or Buddy, we'll have to make the decision on whether they can come in and contribute, regardless of what the team needs."
The 93-point loss to Geelong was the biggest under Longmire's tenure, and the premiership coach wasn't happy.
Longmire was so short of key defensive stocks that he decided to play All-Australian midfielder Callum Mills at fullback on Tom Hawkins for two-and-a-half quarters.
"I think we had seven key position senior players out of the team on the weekend," Longmire said.
"But you've just got to get on with it and do some things the game requires.
"Some of the things we served up over the course of that game were unacceptable.
"Regardless of being the youngest team on the weekend versus the oldest, we've just got to find ways of dealing with that and getting on with it."
