SYDNEY Swans coach John Longmire has dismissed suggestions that his team struggled to slot back in to football mode after a week's break.

The Swans had the bye last week before going down by 16 points to Carlton on Friday night.

Making it even more disappointing for the Swans was that they led until well into the third term.

Longmire said his team could not use the bye as an excuse after kicking five goals in the opening term.

"It should have worked the other way. I'd hope you'd have some more run in the second half. We started OK. I think some of the criticism of the bye has been that teams have been starting sluggish," he said.

"I think we started well, which was pleasing. We did some things during the week to make sure we were switched on. It was good to see us jump out of the blocks."

Longmire paid credit to the Blues' second-half revival, with special praise for captain Chris Judd, who was the best player afield after half time.

"There's a bloke out there with the no. 5 jumper on that probably had a bit to do with it," he said.

Judd was tagged by Swans midfielder Kieren Jack in the first half until he left the field with an injured ankle.

Jack  returned to the field but played a reduced role in the forward line and was on crutches in the rooms after the game.

"I spoke to the docs briefly at half time. I haven't spoken to them after the game. They said he's hurt his ankle and he might be able to play up forward in the second half," Longmire said.

"That's all I know and I'll speak to the docs after this. He's obviously an important player for us."

Longmire said he was disappointed with his side dropping off after the half-time break but said he thought Jack more than stepped up to the task on the dual Brownlow medallist.

"I thought Kieren did a good job on him in the first half. I thought a few of our blokes did OK on him in the first half. In the second half the wind went out of our sails," Longmire said.

"There were some big differences in the second half which I spoke to the players about after the game. There was much too big a differential in all the key stats."