THE SYDNEY Swans have started 2007 in a similar manner to previous seasons but coach Paul Roos and his men know better than to be hitting the panic button. Traditionally slow starters, the Swans will try to bounce back and level their win-loss record when they meet Richmond at the MCG on Saturday.

And after two commanding wins over the Tigers last season, Sydney's round two opponent shouldn't hold too many fears for the 2005 premiers. Despite going down to pre-season premier Carlton in the opening round, Richmond has named an unchanged line-up for this week's clash with the Swans.

The Swans, after a disappointing first-half effort against the Eagles in their Grand Final replay, rallied strongly only to see the one-point loss repeated.

Sydney has made three changes to their round one side. Adam Schneider returns from a hamstring injury and takes the place of the injured Nick Davis (foot). Promising midfielder Tim Schmidt and power forward Heath Grundy make their season debuts, with Simon Phillips and Luke Vogels both omitted.

Tigers coach Terry Wallace is hoping his 22 players have what it takes to match the team that, along with the West Coast Eagles, has been the best-performed unit over the past two seasons.

But while hoping his group put it all together on the day, even Wallace must know that a lot of his team's hopes fall on the broad shoulders of Matthew Richardson. Put simply, if Richo doesn't fire, then it's tough to see the Tigers winning.

While Jay Schulz and Kayne Pettifer provide reliable targets in attack, neither have the potency of the big number 12, who has kicked a bag of 10 against Sydney in the past.

Leo Barry will probably get first crack at Richo, with Ted Richards another option.

In the middle, the Tigers' young midfield will run all day but whether or not it can maintain four quarters of sustained, contested footy - as the Swans love to play - is unknown.

Carlton's Nick Stevens carved up the Tigers last week, and with Sydney's band of runners and number of options on offer, Richmond's younger stars face an even stiffer task in reining in one of the competition's elite midfield groups.

But Tigers skipper Kane Johnson, Shane Tuck, speedsters Brett Deledio and Richard Tambling, along with the emerging Nathan Foley who enjoyed a solid night at the SCG in 2006, will all relish the chance to go toe to toe with the Swans' big guns.

The Sydney midfield has the big names, but those stars aren't necessarily blessed with blistering leg speed - an area players such as Deledio and Tambling will look to exploit.

With Troy Simmonds still missing, Darren Jolly and Spida Everitt should be able to dictate this midfield battle against the inexperienced Adam Pattison. Last week the new ruck duo didn't cash in on the absence of Dean Cox. They are still getting used to working with one another, and Roos is also fine-tuning how he will use the pair.

Although the unpredictable Davis will miss this week, Sydney's forward line still looms as the difference between the two teams.

Barry Hall and Ryan O'Keefe always prove a handful for the Tigers, while Michael O'Loughlin and a fit Heath Grundy could give a smallish Tigers backline some headaches.

So it's back to the MCG for the Swans - a ground that has provided much joy and heartache in recent years. But one would think after Saturday that their 2007 MCG memories will only be happy ones.