WITH HIS side in the box seat to finish on top of the home and away ladder following Saturday's nine-point win over North Melbourne in Hobart, Swans coach John Longmire is happy to be approaching another finals series with his team in charge of its own fortunes.
While they threatened to pull clear of the Kangaroos on a couple of occasions, the Swans were forced to work hard right to the final siren and Longmire admitted there are elements of the game the Swans need to work on if they want to run deep into September action.
"I think we can improve a bit on today's performance and that’s what we'll try to do next week and try to make sure we keep on sharpening up all areas of our game," he said.
"You want to get to this point of the year with that in front of you, which is to be able to control your own destiny next week in the last game of the year at the SCG, and that’s what we’re going to try and do."
With plenty on the line for both clubs, the 16,495-strong crowd at Blundstone Arena was treated to a match played at high intensity by two hard-nosed sides.
"Both teams had a lot to play for and North Melbourne are a good team," Longmire said. "They've played in the last couple of prelims and they kept going.
"I think you just have to find a way. North played pretty well and we needed to keep going and persisting and sometimes you've just got to find a way to win and get over the line."
Five talking points: North Melbourne v Sydney Swans
While star forward Lance Franklin was forced from the field twice in the first term following a heavy collision in a marking contest, Longmire eased any concerns about 'Buddy's' likelihood of facing the Tigers next week.
"He had a hip pointer from the first quarter. He'll ice up and he’ll be ok," he said.
"He was sore there for a bit of the game, clearly, that's why he ended up coming off twice, he was sore.
"I thought in the last quarter he contributed pretty well, there was some important footy he was able to win high up the ground."
Longmire was also pleased with the spread of goal-kickers following the spearhead's injury so early in the match and suggested the experience gained from winning with Franklin below his best would also be valuable for the group.
"We had nine or 10 different goal kickers and you like to be able to do that, but in the end we had to change it up a bit after Lance got hurt a little bit," he said.
"We've got some young forwards in that group and they’ll keep learning."
