SYDNEY Swans coach John Longmire was full of praise for Adam Goodes and Jude Bolton after the veteran duo stood out in their team's opening NAB Cup clash against St Kilda.
 
Goodes roamed all over the field in the 30-point win, the 32-year-old veteran of 300 AFL games picking up seven possessions and kicking two goals.
 
Bolton, meanwhile, was the leading possession-getter in the match. The 31-year-old gathered 13 touches, won three clearances and booted a goal.
 
Both had little impact in the Swans' second game against Geelong. Bolton was rested from the contest, while the heat seemed to have sapped the energy from Goodes.
 
Yet Longmire was delighted with their evening's work.
 
"They've both been outstanding," said the Swans coach.

"I mean they're real pros, that's why they keep on batting up and doing what they're doing.
 
"I told Jude he was out for the second game and I thought he was going to start crying.
 
"A bloke of his age, who's been to as many stoppages as he has over the years, and he still wants to play on the 24th of February every minute of the game.
 
"They're pros, both of them. That's why they keep continually playing well, because they just love their footy.
 
"And you can see it written all over them. It doesn't matter what time of the year it is."
 
Longmire was impressed with his team's attacking play against the Saints.
 
"Kicking nine goals in the first game, in a bit over 40 minutes of footy, [means] our counter-punching was pretty good," he said.
 
"We showed a couple of kids. Harry Cunningham bobbed up and kicked a couple of goals - a kid off our rookie list.
 
"We played Luke Parker in the middle. He got a head-to-head duel with Lenny Hayes.
 
"Things like that we're really grateful for, to give our kids a bit of a go."
 
Longmire was unfazed by the Swans' loss to an inexperienced Geelong side in their second match of the evening.
 
He put the result down to the heat - it was still 32 degrees when the game against the Cats began - and the lightning premiership-style format.
 
He also felt that the interchange restrictions, which limited the teams to only two interchange players and two substitutes in each half of the game, played a part.
 
"I think the format's made more difficult, in the really warm conditions, with two and two," Longmire said.
 
"It's a significant difference between their energy levels in the first game than what it is in the second game with conditions like that.
 
"I think it would be easier for everyone if we had single games and six [interchange] and two [subs].
 
"I think it's a challenge when you come into your first game and you're trying to get the right amount of minutes into and expose some younger players, which you supporters really like as well.
 
"It makes it difficult to do that, I guess, and get the minutes just right.
 
"But the format is as it is and we'll work within the format like everyone else does."