Defender Tadhg Kennelly hasn’t been named in the team and will play with the Swans reserves in the curtain raiser as he works his way back to full fitness.

Longmire said Kennelly probably could have played but it was best to wait because it was important he was fit for the long term.

“We’ve got to be mindful that it’s not just about this game for Tadhg, it’s about the whole season,” he said.

“There’s no doubt the intensity of AFL football and the time that players are staying on the ground has gone up, therefore you’ve got to make sure they’re fit when they come into play.

“We’ve got to make sure he’s ready for that (intensity) in the short, medium, and long term - not just the short-term.”

He said players such as Luke Parker, Mike Pyke and Byron Sumner had been playing well in the reserves and were pushing for senior selection but the match committee had decided to stick with the same 22 for this week.

The coach, whose nerves are holding up after three thrilling finishes in succession, is expecting another tough outing against Geelong.

Pre-season predictions of Geelong falling down the ladder have so far proven to be wide of the mark, not that Longmire ever bought into such speculation.

“There’s no way they’re going to drop off,” Longmire responded when asked if he was surprised by the Cats’ start to the season.

The two teams meet at the SCG this Saturday night for the first time since the iconic 2005 semi-final, and Longmire expects Geelong to provide the Swans with their toughest challenge of the season to date.

“Geelong are in great form, they’ve got superstars across every line, their best players are playing really well, and they get a couple back this week,” he said.

“We’re looking forward to testing ourselves against probably one of the better teams going around at the moment.”

While the Cats have lost Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett to the Gold Coast Suns, their midfield still boasts many formidable options.

“Now they’ve only got Selwood, and Bartel, and Chapman, and Ling in there,” Longmire joked.

“The depth of the quality in their midfield is the best going around and we’re aware of that, but we’re excited by the challenge as well.”

It’s not only the prospect of facing a side that has won two of the last four premierships that the Swans are looking forward to, with the team returning to the SCG on Saturday night for the first time in 2011.

“We can’t wait to get back to the SCG…we’re really hopeful that we can get a big crowd here and support us,” Longmire said.

“There’s nothing like the SCG when it’s full of people and it really helps the players - particularly in close games, which we’ve had a few.

“It doesn’t get any bigger than Geelong in red-hot form, here (at the SCG) - it is a huge challenge for us.”

The Swans currently sit third on the ladder after managing 2 wins and a draw from the season’s first three games, all against teams who finished in the bottom five last year, and Longmire knows that his side will need to take their game to another level if they are to beat Geelong.

“We need to improve right across the board,” Longmire said.

“We want to make sure we keep our pressure skills up, I think that’s what’s really kept us in the game the last few weeks. Our ball use can get a little bit better as well, and I think if we can tidy that up it certainly helps us.”

For tickets to Saturday night’s big game, visit here.

Sydney Swans team v Geelong Cats
SCG
Saturday April 16, 2011 - 7.10pm

 

B:  P.Bevan, T.Richards, M.Mattner
HB: R.Shaw, H.Grundy, A.Johnson
C: B.McGlynn, K.Jack, N.Smith
HF: J.Bolton, S.Reid, A.Goodes
F: R.O'Keefe, J.White, J.Kennedy
Foll: S.Mumford, C.Bird, J.McVeigh
Interchange: A.Everitt, D.Hannebery, L. Jetta, G.Rohan
Emg: L.Parker, M.Pyke, B.Sumner  

No Change