In the past two seasons the Sydney Swans have won two and three games respectively from their opening six games, so it is fair to say they have started their recent season campaigns slowly.

Co-captain Leo Barry admits the team has discussed the issue and have planned to be in better shape come round one this year when they take on West Coast at Telstra Stadium.

“The slow starts are a huge focus for us, it has obviously been an issue in previous years,” Barry said.

“We have been good enough to win at the back end of the season but we can’t rely on that every year and we are kidding ourselves if we are going to expect that to happen again this year.

“We are trying to take the start of the season as seriously as we can.”

Barry refutes any notion that playing the premiers in the season opener is an added incentive for the team to come out firing, but agrees they will need to be at the top of their game given they are playing a quality opposition.

“We know we are going to be playing a damn good team round one, there is no better team going around than West Coast,” he said.

“We have certainly got to be up and running otherwise we will get embarrassed in round one.

“We have played some fantastic games (with West Coast) over the last few seasons and hopefully that is the case again."

Barry joked about playing the Eagles who he sees as having had a similar pre-season preparation to the Swans, vastly different to last year’s opening round nightmare against Essendon when spearhead Matthew Lloyd kicked eight goals.

“My recollection of Essendon last year wasn’t very good but they were one team up and running,” the defender said with a wry smile.

“Hopefully we are a little bit more advanced than in previous years and playing West Coast, they have had a similar preparation to ourselves.”

Friday night’s game against a near full-strength Port Adelaide will be Barry’s second pre-season game after he was forced to miss last weekend with a sore calf.

“I was fit for the Bulldogs game (in the opening round of the NAB Cup) but we decided to wait an extra week,” Barry explained.

“I had anticipated playing a few more games before the season started. I obviously missed last week, will play this week and it looks like I am playing the weekend off (in the reserves) to get a bit more touch and match fitness.

“Physically I am feeling really good, probably as good as I have over the past few years.”

The only down side is that his lack of game time has minimised his opportunity to adjust to the hotly debated new hands in the back rule.

“I have obviously only played the one game and I didn’t get in too many contests so it wasn’t too big an issue and normally it is for me,” he admitted.

“Hopefully this week and next will give me a bit more of an understanding of where I am at.

“It is a different mindset. I know guys are going in to contests a lot more cautious about making any sort of body contact or pressure in a forward’s back.

“Whether playing in front is an issue, particularly for myself being a bit shorter it might be an area where I can play in front and use it to my advantage.

“Time will tell and hopefully I just don’t give too many (frees) away.”