Mills back in action for Sydney on Friday

Mills who hasn't played since round nine last year after breaking his foot in a freak accident, will turn out in the inter-club clash with local rivals GWS at Blacktown in western Sydney.

The accomplished 21 year-old ball user and local Sydney product came to the club as a midfielder but established himself in the senior side at half-back.

Recruits Ryan Clarke and Jackson Thurlow are also set to get some game time on Friday.

"Jackson Thurlow and Colin O'Riordan, those guys hopefully can allow Callum Mills to go into the midfield a bit more," Longmire told AAP.

"We know that Callum can play back, obviously we missed him last year when he was out injured and he's a very good player, but we'd like to be able to play him a bit more through the midfield, knowing that he can still play at times at half-back."

Key defender Lewis Melican, who hasn't played a senior game since round three last season due to hamstring issues, is also scheduled for game time on Friday.

"We missed Lewis Melican for the majority of the year so it will be good to have him back in amongst it. He just gives us so much more flexibility with what we do with Dane Rampe," Longmire said.

Longmire confirmed decisions on whether star spearhead Lance Franklin and recruited fellow forward, Dan Menzel, are fit to play in round one, are set to be made in the week leading up to that game away to Western Bulldogs.

Both men underwent groin surgery late last year..

"Both are on the same programs,.Lance had an adductor operation as well as a stability operation, so his was a little bit different, but they are both tracking along the same time," Longmire said.

"Neither of them will play JLT (pre-season) games and we'll see how they go after the JLT finishes."

Australian Associated Press