SYDNEY coach John Longmire has the privilege of seeing Lance Franklin do his thing almost every day, but even he admits he didn't see the superstar's 10-goal haul coming.
Franklin blitzed Carlton in the Swans' 81-point win on Saturday, booting seven majors in the second half opposed to unlucky Blue Liam Jones, and passing 850 career goals along the way.
The 30-year-old ignited the contest with his brilliance inside 50 and four final-quarter goals had the 38,965 fans at the SCG in raptures.
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Longmire said post-match that nothing surprises him with Franklin anymore.
"I couldn't claim that we had a sense (that a performance like that was coming) from a coaching perspective, but there's always a chance," he said.
"He's been looking sharp and getting two sessions out a week, and looking really good in those training sessions which is a good sign.
"Even with the best that helps, and he was fantastic the way he finished off the game, and when he's got his tail up he's hard to stop.
Longmire was less ecstatic in the first half of the clash when both Kurt Tippett and Callum Sinclair were forced from the ground with ankle injuries.
Tippett was particularly concerning when he had to retreat to the changerooms twice to seek treatment and spent most of the first half off the ground, but while both big men were in the medical room together at one stage, they both returned to the field.
Five talking points: Sydney v Carlton
They have two weeks off now until the Swans' first final and the coach isn't worried about their availability.
"The message came up that they were going to try and get them back on, but you still lose two from your interchange which was an issue for that second quarter," he said.
"They were off for a fair bit of that second term, but they were able to come back after half-time so that certainly helped in terms of numbers and our structure in the ruck.
"Sinclair played out the game and Tippett played until three-quarter time, then we put him on ice, literally."
WATCH: John Longmire's full media conference
Never one to overstate anything when it comes to his club, even Longmire was forced to admit that making the eight after starting the season with six straight losses was some feat.
"It has to be acknowledged that the players have done a fantastic job to fight back from the start we had," he said.
"It was clearly a start that we didn't want, but the players have been able to turn it around and play some fantastic football for a fair while now."
An ideal start from the Swans' big man. #AFLSwansBlues pic.twitter.com/ryXJ1jBAAb
— AFL (@AFL) August 26, 2017