HORSEPOWER

Longmire’s Swans vow to bring heat against Cats

SYDNEY achieved near perfection in its elimination final, but coach John Longmire may yet change his side for Friday night’s knockout bout with Geelong.

The pressure-heavy Swans have systematically dismantled the Cats in their past three encounters, including a 46-point mauling at Simonds Stadium in Round 20 and last year’s lop-sided preliminary final.

But Longmire said there was no secret behind his club’s recent impressive record against Geelong, saying it was more a case of “making sure you bring your best against the best”.

“We have enormous respect for the Cats,” he said.

The Swans cruised to a 65point win over Essendon at the SCG on Saturday after booting 10 goals in a bruising second quarter.

Lance Franklin, who was put on ice at three-quarter time because of a corked thigh, is set to train today and considered in no doubt for the MCG clash.

Out-of-favour big man Kurt Tippett is expected to be overlooked again but former Geelong Falcon Lewis Melican, if passed fit, may convince Longmire to tinker with a winning formula. Melican, the latest in a long line of rookie-list success stories at Sydney, was a last-minute scratching from the elimination final because of a tight quad.

He has played 17 games this year, earning a Rising Star nomination for curbing the influence of St Kilda icon Nick Riewoldt.

Key defenders Dane Rampe and Heath Grundy will be tasked with stopping Tom Hawkins and Harry Taylor, but Longmire is wary of Geelong’s other potent forwards. “He’s an important player for us. He’s able to play on talls and smalls,” Longmire said of Melican.