Sydney star Tom Papley is confident unlucky forward Logan McDonald will bounce back from his axing for the Swans' AFL grand final.
McDonald, who has played 17 games this season, including two finals, was brutally dropped for Saturday's decider against Geelong at the MCG.
The former No.4 draft pick has made way for fellow tall Hayden McLean, who played the first eight games of the season but has been in the VFL since.
Papley says McDonald will respond positively to the heartbreaking call from the Swans coaching staff.
"I'm pretty close with him," Papley told reporters before the grand final parade on Friday.
"He's a young kid and it's unfortunate for him but his attitude towards this week has been great and I'm sure he'll be bigger and better for it.
"We got around him, it's a tough time.
"There's always one story in a grand final and he was one of them. It's tough for him, but I'm sure this will make him bigger and better.
"He's a massive part of our future and I look forward to the future with him."
McDonald remains an outside chance to be a late inclusion for the Swans' first grand final since 2016, with veteran tall Sam Reid battling an adductor injury suffered in last week's thrilling preliminary final win against Collingwood.
However, Reid was named on Thursday night and the Swans 2012 premiership player is expected to play.
"All our emergencies have been told to be ready and it's just a part of the game. I'm sure Geelong's emergencies have been told to be ready, too," Papley said.
Sydney big man Tom Hickey expects McLean to partner him in the ruck, with Reid to play mostly up forward.
"(McLean's) been playing some really good footy through the back half of this year, probably a bit stiff because the side was so settled, but (I'm) so confident in him to come and take his opportunity," Hickey told reporters.
"He's a bigger body who can come in there and they (McLean and Reid) might share it as the game goes on.
"But I'm off the field then, so it doesn't bother me."
Hickey will take the first bounce of the grand final against Geelong's Rhys Stanley, a former teammate and good friend at St Kilda.
"I've been at six other teams since then," Hickey joked.
