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Sydney coach John Longmire says Lance Franklin has started running and could return from a hamstring injury in his team's AFL match against Essendon.

Having hit rock bottom on the AFL ladder and copping another injury blow, Sydney coach John Longmire is adamant the perennial finalists will not sit back and accept their plight.

The Swans have never missed finals under Longmire, a record of sustained success dating back to 2011.

But rather than September, it's the prospect of the proud club's first wooden spoon since 1994 that is now staring Longmire in the face.

Sydney, as has been the case throughout 2019, impressed in patches against Brisbane but ultimately fell to a 22-point defeat and now sit 18th on the ladder with a 1-6 record.

Lance Franklin has resumed running and is in the mix to return from a hamstring injury against Essendon at the SCG on Friday night, provided he trains well on Wednesday.

However, Longmire will be forced to reshuffle his undermanned defence yet again given Harry Cunningham is out for 4-6 weeks because of a torn adductor.

"It's fair to say we're not thrilled about it. That'd be an understatement," Longmire said, when asked about occupying last spot.

"There's no hiding from it. You just have to get on with it.

"We need to get out and do something about it. It's not something we take lightly. It's not something we sit back and just accept.

"Regardless of the personnel involved and available, we understand it's a different team (compared to recent seasons), but we've still got to return to that core part of how we play."

Longmire praised Sydney's on-field leaders, adding the club's younger players would learn from the current slump.

"The game teaches you about resilience," he said.

"We'll nurture, care, develop and teach."

Franklin has a habit of saving his best for the Bombers but the four-time Coleman Medallist is no certainty to return in round eight.

"We'll see how he goes on Wednesday. He's a chance," Longmire said.

Tom Papley is set to face Essendon despite a bruising collision with Brisbane's Oscar McInerney but, as Longmire admitted, Cunningham's enforced omission is a blow to the struggling Swans.

"He's been a really, really good player for us this year, Longmire said.

"He was important through our midfield then when we lost Jarrad McVeigh, so we threw him back into our defence and he's been very good back there.

"So we'll have to find another replacement for that back six - and it won't be coming from (injured veterans) McVeigh, Heath Grundy or Nick Smith ... we'll have a look at who is available."