Leigh Matthews found what he needed from Arnold Schwarzenegger. Grant Thomas looked to The Day After Tomorrow . If Paul Roos needs some cinematic inspiration for his predicament, he could do worse than Al Pacino.

"Either we heal as a team, or we're gonna crumble. Inch by inch, play by play. Until we're finished … because we know when we add up all those inches, that's gonna make the difference between winning and losing."

Had the Swans found those inches on Saturday night, they would have beaten Adelaide. But that's what happens when you hit the post six times.

But Pacino's quote, out of Any Given Sunday , is more relevant to the Swans now in terms of how they will heal. With five weeks to go in the regular season, Sydney are well placed in fourth, but they are hit with an injury list that threatens to derail what shapes as this playing group's last chance at success.

With so many key players entering or well into the final stage of their careers, the Swans must embark on a process of youthful regeneration soon. That they have eked out another solid year from a group widely predicted to be "on the slide" in 2008 is a massive credit to Roos and his players.

But they are now hurting physically. Worse than any year since Roos took over.

Michael O'Loughlin is out for the next month. Adam Goodes could miss the next fortnight. The Swans are reluctant to reveal the extent of Nick Malceski's supposed calf injury. Let's hope it is only that.

Leo Barry is a chance to return, but his body isn't giving him the spring it once did and is wavering about playing next year. Barry Hall, who did return on Saturday night, is lacking match fitness at an age when it becomes tougher to win it back.

Henry Playfair, who Roos is keen to develop into a focal point, left the field in the first term against the Crows and didn't return. Nick Davis is out injured for the season and his career is on the line.