THE SWANS moved into the top four off the back of four straight wins and are firming as a premiership fancy, but it's their great escape in round four against this week's opponent North Melbourne that is firmly in the mind of coach John Longmire.
Sydney will travel to Marvel Stadium on Sunday to take on the bottom-placed Kangaroos, and a fifth straight win would solidify its hopes of a double chance.
But there will be no taking their lowly opponents lightly following their last gasp win by 11 points – a margin that flattered the Swans on the day – back in round four at the SCG.
"It took us well into the last quarter before we got on top of them," Longmire said.
"Over the last three weeks their clearance numbers are through the roof. Their ground ball numbers are number one in the comp. We're still very mindful of what they can do when they play well and we got a first-hand reminder of that early in the year," Longmire said.
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Despite that scare back in April, the Swans are now in irrepressible form after their 73-point thumping of cross-town rival GWS.
The team is looking supremely settled and with no injuries to emerge out of Sydney Derby 24, the conundrum on how to squeeze three-time best and fairest winner Josh Kennedy into the team continues for the coach.
"Bit hard on a Monday to make the call. We'll see how the week pans out. There's a fair bit of water to go under the bridge," Longmire said.
Kennedy excelled in the VFL for a third week in a row on Saturday night having chosen to play in the game after sitting on the bench as the medi-sub for the full four quarters against the Giants.
Kennedy sits on 290 games, but Longmire says there's been no decision made just yet on whether he'll play on next season with the 300-game milestone in sight.
"Things can change quickly. We're still striving to get better and that means those players have still got opportunities to play every week. As long as they keep training and playing well those opportunities tend to arise, it's really the law of averages," Longmire added.
"I've had a brief chat with him, but he's said all he wants to focus on is getting back and playing this year. He's very much a live in the moment kind of person. Josh will be the driver of that.
"There’s always sentiment in football but there are always other things involved as well. We'll let Josh work through that at his own rate. He’s deserved that right."
Another prominent name battling to get back into the Swans' side is ruckman Peter Ladhams, but with Sam Reid starring as the foil to Tom Hickey at the moment, Longmire admits the former Port big man may have to bide his time.
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"That's a good problem to have though, having another ruckman available. We've been pleased with how Sam's been going, he's been able to hit the scoreboard as well as being good in the ruck. Those two areas have been very flexible for us."
