Sydney blew a chance to solidify their AFL finals claims with a costly loss to lowly Adelaide, coach John Longmire says.

The seven-point defeat to the Crows leaves Longmire's Swans in a clogged mid-section of the ladder.

The Swans kicked themselves for inaccuracy, sapped by their wasteful 13 consecutive points as Adelaide won 8.9 (57) to 6.14 (50) on a rain-soaked AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.

Longmire said there was "no doubt" the Swans missed an opportunity.

"You work hard to get yourself into a good spot and you have a fair bit of the play in your half of the ground and you don't kick goals - it makes it really hard to win a game of footy," Longmire said.

"Six goals 14, and we probably had some opportunities to have some more shots as well that we would normally take.

"In the second and third quarter of the game we had large patches where we had the ball inside our forward 50 and couldn't kick a goal.

"We just worked so hard to have the ball there and over a period of time it wears you down a little bit if you can't kick a goal."

The Swans, who kicked 9.21 in their round 13 victory against Richmond, lost utility Craig Bird, who was kneed behind his left knee and forced from the field late in the third quarter.

His teammate Nick Smith was a late withdrawal with a hamstring strain which Longmire said was minor.

Longmire was heartened that a core of talent was nearing recall as the Swans prepare to travel to meet the Gold Coast on Saturday.

"We're hoping that Nick Smith, Nick Malceski, Shane Mumford, Kieren Jack are starting to come in, it will be good to get those players back," he said.

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