LEO Barry – the man who took 'that mark' to secure theSwans' 2005 premiership win – says his team is now up and running as they head towardsthe finals.

Sydney is ineighth spot with just seven rounds remaining in the home-and-away season, andwhile the Swans have always been notoriously bad starters, this year it hastaken even longer than usual to get going.

But Barry says the team is starting to hit its straps as itreadies itself to face the West Coast Eagles, the club with which it has had thegreatest rivalry in the AFL over the last few years. He said the lead-up hasbeen a little different this time around, as injuries have battered both teamsso far this season.

“A little bit like ourselves, they've been a bit up and down.

“I think injuries have played a part in that – it is hard toplay consistent footy when you've got your top-liners out, and we've certainlyhad that as well, with Hally [Barry Hall] being injured, and Tadhg [Kennelly] comingin and out of the team.

“It does make a difference to your squad, but I think bothteams are starting to get their best team out on the paddock,” he said.

While the slow start to the season has been dealt with, the 30-year-oldfrom Deniliquin admitted that the slow start to games had to be sorted out.

“We've definitely shown over the last couple of weeks we'regetting back to our good footy – the second-half against Geelong a few weeks ago was probably theturning point.

“There's still a few games to go, but we've always pridedourselves on our back-end of the season, and hopefully that's the case for thisyear as well.

“[The slow start] has been an issue all year – even lastweek against Carltonwe got smacked in the first 10 minutes. It's been something we've been tryingto address – whether it's a lack of intensity to the point where we get behindand then have to start trying a few things.

“It's going to be a big issue tomorrow [Saturday] night, andhopefully we can address it and get a good start.”

Luke Ablett and Adam Schneider both skipped the club’s dipat Perth’s City Beachon Friday, preferring to stay rugged up inside the beachside cafe drinkingcoffee.

The club says they missed the bracing swim because of 'thesniffles' and both will be playing.