Sydney veteran Harry Cunningham is the heartbreak story of preliminary final weekend with the defender ruled out of Friday night’s blockbuster against Fremantle.

The Swans were the only team to make changes, forced into two with Cunningham and captain Callum Mills both injured.

Mills ruptured his ACL in the qualifying final win over Brisbane, while Cunningham suffered a calf issue at training during the week.

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Cunningham, who played 14 games this season, loomed as an important player given the absence of experienced stars. The 32-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season.

In better news, Justin McInerney is back for his long-awaited return from a hamstring injury. The speedy winger hasn’t played since suffering the serious injury in Round 13.

Justin McInerney (centre) returns for the Sydney Swans to take on Fremantle at the SCG. Credit: AAP

Defender Lewis Melican is the other inclusion for the Swans.

There is no room for Joel Amartey, who has recovered from the Achilles injury that has sidelined him for three months.

Sydney are of course still without Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon after they were handed season-ending bans for breaching club standards.

Fremantle are unchanged from the side that bounced back to defeat Geelong in last week’s pulsating semi-final.

Defender Brennan Cox will play in the WAFL and will come into consideration for the grand final if the Dockers make it.

Meanwhile, Brisbane and Hawthorn will both go into their preliminary final unchanged.

Noah Answerth had been in the frame for a likely match-up on Hawthorn superstar Nick Watson, but the defender failed to recover from the ankle injury suffered in last week’s semi-final thumping of Adelaide.

The Hawks are unchanged from the side that upset Fremantle in the qualifying final two weeks ago.

Coach Sam Mitchell had been weighing up fit-again Ned Reeves to partner Lloyd Meek in the ruck, but has opted to keep faith with Max Ramsden.

Reeves has played 15 games alongside Meek this season but has featured just once at AFL level — in the loss to Brisbane — since Round 16.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Sydney v Fremantle at the SCG, 7.40pm AEST 

SYDNEY

In: J.McInerney, L.Melican

Out: C.Mills (knee), H.Cunningham (calf)

FREMANTLE

In: Nil Out: Nil

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Hawthorn v Brisbane at the MCG, 5.15pm AEST  

HAWTHORN

In: Nil Out: Nil

BRISBANE

In: Nil Out: Nil