Adam Goodes believes candidates to replace retiring Sydney co-captain Brett Kirk will use the remainder of the AFL season to press their claim to fill the vacant leadership role.

Veteran midfielder Kirk, who fellow co-captain Goodes described on Thursday as "the inspirational spiritual leader of our football club", announced on Wednesday he would finish at the end of this season.

The three co-captains apart, Sydney have several other players in their leadership group.

Goodes stressed no single person would be expected to replace Kirk, as was the case last season when key forward Barry Hall left the club.

"It's not about who do we replace him with, it's about the opportunities," Goodes told reporters on Thursday.

"It creates another spot as a co-captain, so our leaders who are underneath, Kirky, myself and (Sydney's third co-captain) Craig (Bolton) can really step up for the next three-quarters of the season and put their hand up for that role.

"It's not about replacing Kirky, he's going to be sorely missed and hopefully we can find a role for him at the footy club."

Goodes said the impending retirements of Kirk and long serving Sydney coach Paul Roos would definitely provide some motivation for the remainder of the Swans' campaign, but emphasised they had a number of reasons to play well against Fremantle at the SCG on Saturday.

"I think the disappointment of last weekend (losing to the Western Bulldogs) is a lift enough, but I think having something like this (Kirk's announcement) during the week would definitely give us a lot more motivation today when we go out to training.

"Definitely playing at home is another big thing for us. We really want to play well at home, whether it's for Kirky or ourselves or just anyone who is coming to the game."

Forward Goodes, who won one of his two Brownlow Medals as a ruckman, said he would love to play against the Dockers' towering 211cm giant Aaron Sandilands.

He said Sandilands was playing great football and was the strength of the surging Dockers behind Matthew Pavlich.

At a 193cm, Goodes would give away 18cm to the 27-year-old Fremantle ruckman.

"I'd like to get up there and try and jump into him (Sandilands), whether I hit him in the knee or the hip or wherever," Goodes joked.

One of the most celebrated Aboriginal players in the AFL competition, 30-year-old Goodes described this weekend's Indigenous Round as "a great weekend to celebrate our culture."

The long serving Swan appeared alongside Senator Mark Arbib on Thursday to promote the `Learn, Earn, Legend' program aimed at helping indigenous youngsters extend their education, something Goodes can definitely relate to.

"The only reason I stayed in school was mum wouldn't let me play football on the weekends if I didn't go to school and do my homework," Goodes recalled.

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