John Longmire has conceded Sydney needs to change up its forward line after the Swans' meek finals exit against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday.

With superstar Lance Franklin hobbled with a hip injury, Sydney managed just four goals in the 49-point shellacking.

Franklin was blanketed by Giants' co-captain Phil Davis, keeping him goalless and with just two marks.

Following last year's five-goal total in a semi-final loss to Geelong, it again highlighted the Swans' struggles to score in September.

"There's a big reliance upon Lance and we don't want that to continue to happen, we want to change it and we'll try and change it," Longmire said.

The Swans' coach pointed out the absence for most of the season of ruckman Sam Naismith (ACL) and swingman Sam Reid (quad and Achilles), but said they needed to find some new answers.

"We know we need to score more," Longmire said.

"We also need to use the ball better to get the ball into our front half and we didn't do that well tonight either."

Even though Franklin was visibly struggling from early in the first quarter, the Swans were still heavily focused on the star forward and sent most of their – generally sloppy – supply in his direction.

Longmire made no excuses for the All Australian captain, and despite conceding there was some doubt on whether Franklin would play, paid credit to Davis.

"I don't think that was the difference in the game," he said.

"I look at other things rather than that. There was so many other things, the contested ball, the ball movement, the fumbles, everything else. The lack of winning our contest.

"I'm not sure it was just the Lance Franklin-Phil Davis duel."

Despite the horrible performance, Longmire said there would be no rash decisions.

He said Sydney would be "measured" and was happy with some progress this year, including the exposure of five players to finals for the first time. 

"We need to keep getting better and improving anyway and we've been thinking that for quite a while," he said.

"It doesn’t mean we don't look at things, but not just off the back of tonight … you always look at the bigger picture.

"I didn't see that coming, as far as a disappointing performance like that."