Sydney coach John Longmire has confirmed AFL superstar Lance Franklin suffered another injury setback last week.
Franklin, 34, failed to play a game last season as hamstring and groin injuries kept him sidelined.
The key forward had been making progress in the Swans' rehabilitation group in recent weeks before a minor calf muscle injury stopped him in his tracks.
"His calf tightened up a little bit on Friday, about halfway through the session," Longmire told SEN radio.
"(It) is to be expected that little bumps will pop up every now and then.
"That was only Friday and has probably put him back about a week, and we'll get him going next week."
Longmire said Franklin's focus is on strengthening his core - specifically his groin, hamstrings and adductors - before a planned comeback during the 2021 season.
But the Swans are reluctant to put a time frame on the veteran's return.
"That's what he's been doing all his work on and he's been going really well," Longmire said.
"He's gone right through the off-season (and) right throughout Christmas and done a power of work and got himself really strong right through that area of his body.
"That's the main thing, as long as we continue to go forward in that area."
Franklin has two seasons left on his massive nine-year contract - worth about $10 million - and there are concerns he may not play again.
He has played just one match since June 2019.
"I don't look to that, I just look to what he's doing on a weekly basis," Longmire said.
"That's the main thing that we can control.
"We don't sit back and say, 'Well, what's the longer term future look like for him?'
"We try and make sure that day by day he's tracking the right way, which he has been.
"He's been doing a power of work and coming along really well."
