Sydney coach John Longmire has praised Luke Parker's leadership and patience, but says there's no definitive timeline on when the former skipper will earn an AFL recall.
Parker broke his arm during the pre-season and is yet to feature at AFL level this year, despite making a successful VFL return three weeks ago.
The 31-year-old has impressed at VFL level, but Sydney's hot AFL form means it's been hard to find a spot for Parker.
The Swans (8-1) moved a game clear on top of the ladder on Friday night with a clinical 48-point win over Fremantle in Perth.
The likes of Chad Warner, Isaac Heeney and Errol Gulden again starred in the midfield, making Parker's case for a recall even harder.
Sydney will be back in action next week when they face Carlton in a Friday-night blockbuster at the SCG.
Longmire has given no guarantees as to when Parker will return.
"He's a real leader and important player of our footy club," the coach said.
"He's been such a big presence for a long time. His attitude's been fantastic. It's not easy to do, he's a pro.
"But at the same time, he wants to play senior footy, and I think everyone would understand that.
"We're confident that Luke's good enough to be able to come in, and he's fit enough now.
"He missed such a significant chunk of the season. He should be fit and ready to go, and at some stage he will come into the team and play."
Swans defender Tom McCartin (concussion) will be further assessed next week before a decision is made on whether he can return against the Blues.
Nick Blakey, who suffered an accidental clash of heads with a teammate in Friday's win over Fremantle, will also be further assessed.
Carlton (6-3) kept within touching distance of the top four with a thrilling one-point win over Melbourne on Thursday.
