Injuries and an impressive pre-season stint have uncapped Sydney ruckman Lachlan McAndrew in the frame for the Swans' Round 1 selection calculations.

The 210cm ruckman joined the club through the 2021 Mid-Season Draft, crossing from rugby union just two years prior in linking up with Sydney's Academy program.

Now in his second pre-season at Moore Park, the 22-year-old could be John Longmire's first-string ruckman for the Swans' Round 1 clash against the Suns in three weeks.

A fresh calf setback for veteran tall Tom Hickey will see the journeyman miss the start of the season, while a knee complaint for Peter Ladhams ruled him out of Friday's pre-season clash against Brisbane.

The pair of injuries saw McAndrew carry a majority of the ruck workload against Lions pair Oscar McInernery and Darcy Fort at Tramway Oval, with the fledgling Swan impressing his coaches

โ€œHe battled well," Sydney assistant Dean Cox said.

"I think when you're playing against two number one rucks, or people that have played a lot of senior footy, to be able to learn.

"It's a massive learning curve for him, he's come a long way in a short period of time.

"He got to test himself against a quality opposition which was really pleasing."

McAndrew managed 12 matches for Sydney's VFL side in 2022, a campaign highlighted by a two-goal, 27-hit-out performance against Coburg in Round 9.

Rookie Will Edwards was also thrown into the ruck mix, with the key defender's stint in the middle coming amid injury concerns for both Hickey and Ladhams.

A tendinitis issue for Ladhams isn't expected to keep the former Port Adelaide player out of next week's pre-season match against Carlton, with the Swans likely to rely on a two-punch ruck setup with McAndrew sharing the hit-out duties.

That match frames as an opportunity for McAndrew to stake his claim for a debut in Round 1, with Cox noting the pre-season presents an exciting window.

"He'll get a bit of an opportunity against some experienced Carlton ruckmen," Cox said.

"That's a good part about this time of year. You can try things, throw people in and see how they go."

Carlton could welcome senior ruckman Marc Pittonet back into the fold after his stint with the club's reserves in their second matchup with Collingwood on Friday, as he looks to return from injury.

Emerging tall Tom DeKoning showed further signs of promise as a ruck-forward hybrid against the Magpies as he shared the duties with Alex Mirkov at Princes Park.

Sydney and Carlton will clash in Blacktown next Friday afternoon, with the Swans then turning their attention to their season opener against the Gold Coast Suns at Carrara on March 18.