WITH just under five days remaining until the Swans’ season opener against Melbourne at the MCG, coach John Longmire is still considering his options before making a final call on the 22 players that will line-up on Sunday.

Longmire told sydneyswans.com.au that he was still trying to strike the ‘right balance’ between implementing the Swans game-plan and dealing with the tactics he expects Melbourne to employ on the day.

“We’re yet to finalise the selection, there’s a few things going through our heads,” Longmire said.

“We have to weigh up what’s best for us versus what’s specific against Melbourne as well, so we’ll sit down this week and work that out.”

With Daniel Bradshaw already ruled out of Sunday’s game, Longmire said that places in the forward line were still up for grabs, with Jesse White, Sam Reid and Trent Dennis-Lane all putting in solid performances in last weekend’s reserves practice game.

“Whilst our reserves won fairly easily, it was probably the way they went about it, those blokes,” he said.

“They tried to practice AFL-standard behaviours and I thought they got through the game pretty well, so we’ve got a few options there that we can mull over at the selection table.”

Longmire will coach his first senior AFL game this weekend and while he is confident with the crop of young Swans coming through the ranks, he is also wary of the talent and firepower that Melbourne possesses.

“Their form’s been solid and we’re expecting a talented team who can really score heavily when they need to,” Longmire said about Sunday’s opponents.

“They’ve got some exciting forwards and a really strong midfield that can really put pressure on.”

Longmire need only look back to the two teams’ last encounter at the MCG as a reminder of the potency the Melbourne side boasts.

Last year’s 73-point loss to the Demons in round 17 was the highest losing margin in Paul Roos’ coaching career, and while Longmire admits to trying to erase it from his memory, he says the players learnt a valuable lesson from the game about having the right mindset.

“From the first five minutes we weren’t switched on to what we had to do and it really snowballed from there,” Longmire said.

“You can’t - no matter who you play - come mentally unprepared to play football and Melbourne really showed that last year and really showed us up.”

To try and avoid a repeat performance this time out, Longmire said that the team wouldn’t be doing anything revolutionary, just trying to stick to a game plan that has served the team so well in the past - contested football with a strong defensive emphasis, and an ability to capitalise on attacking opportunities.

“It’s something that has been the hallmark of Swans football for a long period of time - to make sure that you are really good in the contested situation, you are able to win your fair share of the 50-50 ball, and making sure you’re strong defensively,” Longmire said.

“There is no doubt if you are able to force the opposition into causing turnovers it helps your attack as well.”