Swans can still get better: John Longmire
Sydney coach John Longmire says his team is bubbling along and the next few weeks will tell the tale of their AFL season.
After ten rounds, Sydney are in sixth spot with five wins and a draw from nine games, a slightly better position than at the corresponding stage of last season.
"We've had a few different changes in our personnel, five debutants already this year, so from that point of view, I think it's exciting that we've been able to win games of football and still introduce some younger players into the team," Longmire said.
"I'm really hopeful that supporters see that as a good sign that our younger group can be blooded, still making sure that we are competitive.
"I think the next few weeks are going to really tell the tale of our season, there's no doubt about that.
"We're just bubbling along, we think we can still get better, I've got no doubt we can improve on a number of areas."
The Swans are again likely to be without key players Shane Mumford and Kieren Jack for Saturday's game in Brisbane while the future of veteran full-forward Daniel Bradshaw remains a mystery.
Midfielder Jack, the club's 2010 best and fairest winner, has missed four games with an ankle problem.
Ruckman Mumford, who finished second to Jack in the award count, missed last weekend's one-point win over the Kangaroos due to a knee issue.
"We'd like them to be a bit further advanced than what they are for this week's game, so at this stage they would be unlikely to play," Longmire said.
Mumford has done the vast majority of Sydney's ruck work this season, but Longmire felt his current problem wasn't necessarily the result of a heavy workload.
"We've spoken to our doctors and sometimes it's just a couple of knocks that he gets and flames it up again."
Knee issues continue to plague Bradshaw who is not running and hasn't played this season after just nine appearances in 2010.
At least one media commentator has already suggested Bradshaw won't appear this season, but Longmire refused to rule him out.
"It's always a week-to-week thing or a day-by-day thing in regards to how his knee is going so we're hopeful, but that's where it sits at the moment.
"It's not something we're going to put too much pressure on him, in regards to trying to force him back and get him a date to come back."
Without Bradshaw, the Swans have struggled offensively, averaging just over 80 points a game.
Trent Dennis-Lane is pushing for promotion after kicking 13 goals across the past two reserves games.
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