The threat of nemesis Lance Franklin looms ominously over Essendon's must-win AFL game against Sydney.
While Swans coach John Longmire stresses the veteran is a week-by-week proposition - and laughed on Tuesday when asked if Franklin might play on next season - the key forward is coming good at the right time.
The 36-year-old has played in Sydney's last three games and impressed with three goals in Saturday's away win over Fremantle.
Sydney have won their last two and are only half a game behind 11th placed Essendon, who have dropped out of the top eight and badly need a win over the Swans this Saturday night at Marvel Stadium.
Bombers fans' throats will tighten at the thought of Franklin coming to Melbourne in the mood to wreak some havoc.
He has kicked 79 goals in 20 games against Essendon, more than any other club.
His most famous torchings of the Bombers were when he played for Hawthorn, but Franklin would relish one final night out at their expense.
Longmire said it was significant that Franklin was able to train on Tuesday, despite being hurt against the Dockers.
"He got a knock early in the game and he came off - that was just a knock on the front of his knee," Longmire said.
"He recovered from that pretty well and he actually trained today and trained pretty well. So that's always a good sign.
"We'll see how he pulls up from that.
"If (Franklin) is feeling good and ready to go, and feeling fresh going into games, which he has the last two weeks, that's a good sign for him."
Last year's grand finalists are yet to build any momentum this season - they have not won more than two games in a row - but Longmire is encouraged at round 20.
"We feel like some more synergy has come back in the team, with some players coming back in, who've missed a bit of footy," he said.
"We've had some important times in games when we've been able to swing momentum back our way.
"There have been a couple of things we've been working on for some time - we didn't see immediate growth - but we've been able to see that over the last couple of weeks.
"Now we have to keep going. We have to put the foot down."
Sydney co-captain Callum Mills will play his 150th game this weekend and Longmire praised the utility's contribution to the Swans.
He recalled meeting Mills when the local academy prospect was only 16 and fielding questions about Sydney's game plan from the keen youngster.
"It might have been (club chief executive) Tom Harley - I walked into Tom's office afterwards and said 'that kid will captain the footy club at some stage'," Longmire said.
"He just had it written all over him.
"He was just such a massive competitor, really loved his footy, thoughtful even at that young age.
"He's been everything and more since he's come through the system. He's just an important, integral cog to this footy club in a whole heaps of ways."
