Star duo Tom Papley and Joel Amartey injuries sour Swans' win as finals hopes stay alive
A 11-point win over the Fremantle Dockers has kept the Sydney Swans' season alive but it has come at the expense of two stars returning to the club's injury ward.
Joel Amartey and Tom Papley will undergo further assessments with doctors on Monday after the pair were forced from the field due to respective groin and hamstring concerns.
Papley was the first of the pair to depart the field as he appeared to injure his hamstring after making a chip kick towards Amartey just inside the arc.
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Immediately after the kick was made, Papley was seen hobbling on his left leg.
He was then promptly taken off the field, substituted out of the game at half time and replaced by Matt Roberts.
The incident was a concerning sight for the Swans given the forward had been sidelined from round two to round 15 with a fractured foot.
Tom Papley of the Sydney Swans is subbed out with a hamstring concern. Fox Footy
However, the Swans' injury woes did not end with Papley's exit as Amartey limped from the field in the dying seconds of the club's 14.10 (94) - 12.11 (83) win.
It was later said to be a groin concern for Amartey.
While it is mathematically possible for the Swans to make the cut for the finals, coach Cox was not eager to let the pair's injuries dim his hopes and ambitions for the club.
"You just want your best players playing as often as possible, and for them to get a run at it," Cox said post-match.
Joel Amartey of the Swans leaves the field. Getty
"We've always thoughts if we can get our best team on the park and playing consistently together, it allows us to play the way we want to play.
"Those players [Papley and Amartey] are crucial, they've spent a fair bit of time out, the others have learnt from them having them out, and now hopefully we can try and get them to gel together as quickly as possible.
"But yeah - we're not in the position to be able to go, 'Oh yeah, what's happening?' a month out. We just continually look at what's right in front of us.
"That's tomorrow morning, at the minute."
