Sydney Swans coach John Longmire says there will be zero margin for error in Friday night’s preliminary final against Geelong, believing his players need to again leave everything out on the ground or face a premature end to 2016.
Sydney’s intensity and ferocity around the contest was the catalyst in Saturday night’s semi-final win over Adelaide, taking on board the lessons learnt in the previous week’s qualifying loss at ANZ Stadium.
Soured by injuries to Jarrad McVeigh (calf) and Gary Rohan (knee), the Swans didn’t take a backward step to lead the contested possession (167-144) and clearance (47-38) count many of which came from Josh Kennedy’s workmanlike effort through the midfield.
Smashed in the tackle count just seven days earlier, the Swans made amends by having nearly 100 more disposals (445-353) but only 10 less tackles (59-69) than the opposition.
Longmire doesn’t want to leave anything to chance against a “red-hot” Geelong on Friday night.
“(Geelong are) playing good footy and were always going to be a tough task,” Longmire said on Monday.
“We know if we play with the kind of ferocity that we played with on Saturday night we give ourselves every possible chance. That’s what we’re aiming to do and that’s our challenge.
“This time of the year you need to play that way, there’s no room for error, you need to be fierce at the ball and fierce at the man with the ball to give yourselves a chance.
“That real ferocity we pride ourselves on, we were lacking in that area (against GWS). We were able to bring it and were consistent at it last weekend and we’ll need to be really good at it again this week.
“We drop off and we leave ourselves open to a Geelong team who’s fierce, even and which have a terrific midfield.”
That aforementioned midfield boasts Patrick Dangerfield, who last week was crowned the AFL Players Association’s players’ player and who is the Brownlow Medal favourite in the lead up to next week’s count.
He’s averaged 31 disposals this season and has been the subject of countless tagging debates.
Monday’s press conference was no different but Longmire wasn’t about to be drawn into whether they’ll target Dangerfield or not in fear of allowing another danger man to “bob up”.
“If you look at Dangerfield and aim to control him, (Joel) Selwood may then bob up or someone else,” Longmire added.
“We’ll prepare as normal. We’ll put an enormous amount of attention into all of their players. Obviously, Dangerfield is an important one, but so is Selwood, so is (Tom) Hawkins and their entire defence.
“We’ll look at their strengths and make sure, more importantly, we bring our strengths as that will be the key. That’s what our midfield need to do in particular against their midfield group.”
Longmire was hopeful both McVeigh and Rohan will be available for Friday night’s clash after scans revealed no serious damage to either player, but will wait until the final training session on Wednesday to make the call.
