The Sydney Swans will host the GWS Giants at the SCG on Saturday, September 7 in a Qualifying Final.
Hear from senior coach John Longmire ahead of the clash as he talks through the Qualifying Final, players set to return, potential team changes and more.
View the key quotes below.
How are you feeling heading into September
It's fantastic. You start training, really your season starts, planning wise, straight after your last game of the year before.
So you do a lot of work, pre-season obviously starts, that's just part of it, and then you get through to be able to give yourself a good opportunity to play at this time of the year.
So it's fantastic that we're involved, we're amongst it, great that we've got a game here in Sydney and generating this sort of support in this city is just awesome.
The pride of the team bouncing back in 2024
It's pretty hard to make finals, and so we made finals again last year, it's difficult to do, and if you look at the three of the last four Premiership teams haven't made the finals the year after, it's a difficult competition, the draft, the salary cap's designed to make it as even as possible.
So when you say bounce back, we played finals last year, I was really proud of the team to be able to do that, and really proud of what they've been able to do this year. It's not an easy competition, it's really tough, and to be able to give ourselves an opportunity to play at this time of the year is fantastic.
Last week we had a day or two to reflect on that, but we moved pretty quickly into the Giants when we knew that was who we were going to play, and so we've been focused on that, and looking forward to that contest.
Injury updates
Papley, McInerney, McCartin, Heeney, they all trained today and all got through well, so hopefully they'll do the same again on Thursday
I usually don't get too ahead of myself until the last training session's done, I sort of wait a little bit, I sort of kick that can down the road a little bit and make the decision after the last training session what it looks like.
They looked all good today, hopefully they get through the training session on Thursday and they're ready to go.
Does their potential return boost your confidence to face the Giants?
We know that they'll be virtually, if not at full strength, they'll get a number of players back, and so they'll be at full strength. They're a team that's won I think seven of the last eight games, the form team of the competition, and so we need to be at our best and hopefully player availability's strong for Thursday's selection and we go into the game with two teams ready to go.
On the rivalry
I think it's great. I've been on the record a few times saying it, to have two teams playing in finals in Sydney is superb for the code. The interest that it generates up here, to have two competitive teams, a big sell-out final this week is great to have, so we're excited by that.
We understand the responsibility we've got to the code up here and that's part of it, but also it's just good to play a terrific team, they're a terrific football team.
Papley and McInerney on selections this week
We just focus solely on this week, who's available this week. They've been doing the training they've had to do over many weeks now, the last week, and they were able to ramp it right up knowing we weren't playing on the weekend.
Again this week they've lifted it as well, they've missed a few weeks, but in Juzzy’s case he's got great fitness, he's an elite runner, so it's just about how he feels around the ball and the contest and he's been doing all he can in that space and really enjoying that.
The support at the SCG
Hopefully running out there's plenty of red and white and they're at full voice. It's great to be able to play on the SCG and probably the only advantage out of finishing top two is that you get that home final. But to be able to do that is a real privilege for our footy club.
We've got to make the most of it, we've got to make sure we go out there and compete really hard against a high quality team.
On Luke Parker
He’s important. To be fair he's probably had a terrific run for his career, he's hardly had many injuries at all. He's been able to get through, he hasn't been suspended like he was this year so there's some challenges this year that he hasn't faced but his ability to be able to come into the team and contribute as a forward and as a midfielder and play both roles over the last few weeks has been really valuable for our team.
He's also been terrific in the leadership space with helping out Millsy and helping out our forwards when he's there but also going on ball and doing what he needs to do there so he's been important for us.
So we're looking forward to what he can do in the coming weeks.
Recent form and heading into the next few weeks
If you look at most teams, they go up and down with injuries or wins and losses and I think we've been fortunate to be able to get hopefully Paps and McInerney back and be available.
We've been able to find different ways of winning over the last three weeks that have been pleasing as well. Sometimes you've got to dig deep and we've been able to do that and find different ways to win that game of footy and over the next however many weeks in front of us you'll need different ways and you'll need to find different styles of footy and hopefully that will stand us in good stead.
On the four All-Australian selections
I'm thrilled to have four. It's a great reflection on our playing group and our footy club and I think everyone's proud of them. I know everyone's proud of them.
Everyone takes a little piece of that and to see those boys get into an All-Australian team, it's a really proud moment as a footy club.
It's great individual recognition for those players themselves but it's also recognition for the team and their teammates and I think that's what everyone gets excited by. Particularly having three of the midfield guys that have played so much this year together be recognised.
How he feels as a coach heading into finals
I feel very privileged. I think that's first and foremost in the role of head coach you try and give your players as much opportunity to play at this time of the year as you can. It's something we all strive to do and the footy club as a whole strives to do and to be able to give ourselves another opportunity is exciting but we also know it's tough.
You've got the best teams for the year that are involved now. Everyone's a gun team. Everyone's got their strengths and you're going to have to be at your best and so that's what experience tells you.
It's exciting but also we need to make sure we bring our best and give ourselves the best opportunity by competing hard.
After finishing the regular home and away season as Minor Premiers, we will host the GWS Giants in a Qualifying Final at the SCG. Visit our Finals Hub, your home for all things September with the Sydney Swans.
