The Swans suffered a 54-point loss at the hands of minor premiers Hawthorn on Friday night, and will now face a resurgent Carlton side, who produced an impressive 20-point win over Richmond on Sunday to claim a place in this week’s semi final.
Speaking to a big media turnout on Monday afternoon at the SCG, Longmire said the Swans would need to step up their game against the Blues this week in order to progress to a preliminary final.
“There are really only two teams who are better off than any other team at the moment, and that’s the two teams who are in the preliminary final,” Longmire said.
“The rest of us are trying to get there and trying to play the best footy we can this weekend to try and get there next week.
“We feel like we’re all in the same boat whether you’ve come from ninth, eighth or fourth it doesn’t really matter.
“We get to this weekend and we’ve worked really hard to earn a double chance and a home final and that’s what we’ve got ahead of us.”
Following the Swans’ disappointing second half performance on Friday night, which saw the team outscored 11-goals-to-three by the Hawks, Longmire said his team needed to focus on a well-rounded effort this Saturday night.
“There are certainly no certainties and you have to take your chances and you have to play your best pressure football and that’s what really stood out over the weekend,” Longmire said.
“You need to play it for four quarters and we’ve probably over the last two weeks played a half on the weekend and three quarters the week before, and we weren’t able to sustain it for four quarters.
“Our challenge this week is to sustain it for longer and to do it for four quarters.”
In positive news for the Swans, Longmire confirmed that co-captain Jarrad McVeigh had pulled up well from a knee concern late in the game and added that there were no other injuries from Friday night’s match.
“They’re all pretty good,” he said.
“Macca in the last minute-and-a-half of the game looked as though he’d hurt his knee, but fortunately he’s pulled up pretty well, so he’s OK.
“Everyone is alright, so we’re fortunate to get out of the game with everyone getting a clean bill of health.”
Longmire said despite the Swans’ eight day break, the team would have a lighter week on the track in preparation for Saturday’s clash.
“(The eight-day break) is only important if you maximise it the right way and we’ll try and do the best we can with that,” he said.
“We will have a lighter week on the track even though it’s a longer week for us and we’ll make sure that come Saturday night that we’re in the best possible shape physically and mentally as we can be.”
