SPECULATION might be raging outside the club about the future of John Longmire in Sydney, but his players have full confidence that he'll remain the man in charge of the Swans.

Longmire is contracted until the end of the 2020 season, but since North Melbourne parted ways with Brad Scott last month, the 1999 premiership Kangaroo's name has been heavily linked with the vacant job at his former club.

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The speculation has intensified despite Longmire's insistence that he's happy at the Swans and focused on helping his young group develop, while Swans officials have gone public with their plans to extend Longmire's deal to continue his nine-year senior coaching career in Sydney.

Young star Isaac Heeney said on Thursday that the talk surrounding the coach has had no effect on the way he's carried himself around the group in recent weeks, adding that it certainly isn't worrying the players, who are concentrating on having a strong finish to the year.

It would be difficult seeing him leave because he's been the head coach for the whole time I've been here - Isaac Heeney on John Longmire

"We're focused on this year and internally we don't speak about it at all," he said.

"He's an unbelievable coach, an unbelievable person with huge success, and has been amazing for me.

"He's heavily invested in this side and the rest of this season, he's focusing on this year and then whatever happens after that happens.

"It would be difficult seeing him leave because he's been the head coach for the whole time I've been here.

"But whatever is best for him (is the most important thing) I guess."

The Swans started the season woefully with just one win from their first seven matches, but have since won four of their past six to keep themselves in slight contention for a finals berth ahead of Saturday's clash with Gold Coast at the SCG.

Heeney said he hasn't been surprised by Sydney's resurgence, despite having the team missing the valuable experience and ability of superstar forward Lance Franklin (hamstring), Jarrad McVeigh (quad/hamstring), Nick Smith (hamstring) and Heath Grundy (back/retired).

"We've got such a young squad that inexperience comes into it a bit, but we've been constantly building our four-quarter efforts," he said.

"The talent we've got amongst the young fellas is extremely exciting and really promising.

"We've gelled really nicely, so we're riding that wave (of form), and we've got to ride it a bit longer.

"There's still a chance we can slip into the eight so that's the ultimate goal, but we just have to take it week by week and get win after win."

Heeney has struggled to find his best form consistently this year after suffering an ankle injury during the JLT Community Series.

The 23-year-old has carried the issue through the first half of the season, but said Sydney's mid-season bye in round 13 came at a good time for him.

He's hopeful he won't need any surgery on the ankle at the end of the season.

"I guess out of most of the boys I needed the break the most," Heeney said with a laugh.

"It was a little frustrating after having such a consistent pre-season, and I had a few other niggles as well and didn't quite get myself up to 100 per cent, so it wasn't the start to the year I would have liked.

"But I feel a lot better after the bye, and hopefully it won't bother me from now on and I can have a good back-end of the year."

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