The improvement of Greater Western Sydney might have crept up on some in the football world, but not Sydney Swans coach John Longmire.
Longmire has been at the helm for each and every one of the eight Sydney derbies so far, holding sway with seven wins and one loss since the Giants’ debut 2012 season.
The ninth instalment, on Saturday at the SCG, is set to be the most hotly contested yet in the wake of the Giants’ stunning win against Geelong in Round 2.
Sydney Derby IX a battle of midfields
Leon Cameron’s men looked every bit as composed as an established side, beating a seasoned Cats outfit for contested possessions (148-126) and clearances (39-26) in the 13-point win in Canberra.
Speaking from first-hand experience in front of a packed press conference on Tuesday, Longmire said the Swans’ cross-town rivals had developed into a “very good football team”.
“GWS’ progression over the last couple of years has been pretty quick and we got a good taste of that when we played in the pre-season game at Drummoyne,” he said. The result on that occasion ended in a win to the Giants.
“I think the Giants and their ability has crept up on the footy world a bit. It certainly hasn’t crept up on us as we have been able to see close up what they have been able to do.
“We certainly respect what they are able to do on the football ground in terms of the style of footy they play. This week we expect a big crowd here for a number of reasons and one of the most important is the closeness in the teams.”
McVeigh to miss derby
GWS taught the Swans a few lessons in the NAB Challenge clash last month, which Longmire said had been taken on board in preparation for Sydney Derby IX.
He said the key will be trying to quell the Giants’ ball movement and nullify their run.
“The combination of that (ball movement and run) we didn’t really handle,” Longmire said.
“There is no doubt we were disappointed in the way we played, but we also saw what the Giants were able to do.
“We learnt some lessons that night that we need to make sure we get better.”
Swans captain Jarrad McVeigh has been ruled out for the third consecutive game as his recovery from off-season surgery continues.
Longmire believes McVeigh will be a chance to play in the Swans’ Round 4 clash with Adelaide.
