SYDNEY Swans coach John Longmire says if a team lets its guard down for one moment in this year's premiership race it will "get a punch in the nose".
Longmire's side is currently on a 10-match winning streak, the best for the club since South Melbourne won 12 straight in 1935.
The Swans are fancied to make it 11 in a row when they face West Coast at Patersons Stadium on Sunday but Longmire said his side cannot afford to be complacent.
"It's a really even competition, no doubt," Longmire said.
"Any team that drops their guard for one week usually ends up getting a punch in the nose.
"So you've got to keep your guard up and you've got to keep playing well and keep playing strong consistent football. That's what we're trying to do."
West Coast at Patersons Stadium should hold no fear for the Swans.
Unlike the storied rivalry of 2005 to 2007 where six straight fixtures between the two clubs were decided by less than a kick, including two Grand Finals and two qualifying finals, recent matches have been very one-sided.
The Swans have won each of the past seven encounters by an average of 31 points, and four of those wins have come in Perth.
The Eagles have lost eight of their last 11 matches this year but Longmire said their recent form over the past three weeks is what he is measuring them by.
"They're a good team," Longmire said.
"We think they're in pretty reasonable form if you look at their form line over that three-week period.
"To get in front here in the last quarter (last week) after Fremantle had a pretty strong third quarter was a real credit to them.
"Fremantle had to do everything, had to pull out everything, to get over the line. We're fully aware of what West Coast's best can bring."
