SYDNEY Swans coach John Longmire has played down this week's clash with Hawthorn and says his side bears no scars from last year's humiliating Grand Final loss.

The Swans take on the premiers at the MCG on Saturday night, but despite all the talk and hype surrounding the round eight encounter, Longmire wasn't buying in.

"The reality is, Grand Final replays really don't exist. What happened last year, there's nothing we can do about it, they were too good for us last year," Longmire said on Monday.

The two sides have built up a strong rivalry over the past few seasons, with the close friendship of opposing coaches Longmire and Alastair Clarkson adding to the intrigue. 

The former North Melbourne teammates remain good friends despite the pressure of their jobs, but Longmire doesn't think they'll be comparing notes on the rivalry until their time in the coaching caper is up.

"Maybe when it's all done and dusted, in hopefully a long time, we can sit down and talk about that. It's just so hectic and you're just so competitive trying to win every week," Longmire said.

"Certainly I have great respect for what Alastair has been able to do with the Hawthorn footy club and continues to do, week in week out."

"That goes without saying."

Hawthorn's physicality has upset a couple of teams so far in 2015 and it was an area that the Swans struggled with in last year's decider.

Longmire expects nothing different from the Hawks on Saturday night, but says it's not the premiers' only asset.

"They're a physical team but they're also a highly skilled team," Longmire said.

"What we need to do doesn't change as far as putting pressure on the opposition, and being willing to do it better than last time we played Hawthorn.

"That’s our challenge: to make sure we pressure the opposition and cause turnovers, to give ourselves a chance to score." 

The Swans have won just three of their past 10 meetings with Hawthorn, a fact that hasn't escaped Longmire, nor does it worry him.

"I don't think we'd be the only team that’s had a couple of losses to the Hawks, they've been a reasonable team over the last couple of years," Longmire said.

"And it doesn't play on my mind either."