Longmire and Roos agree, Goodes to lift

Sydney’s 2005 premiership coach Paul Roos says it’s wrong to point the finger at Adam Goodes after the Swans slumped to their first defeat in 10 AFL matches.

Goodes failed to fire in the eight-point loss to Collingwood on Saturday night, and the Swans co-captain’s devastating best has been rarely sighted in the past two months since he returned from a quad injury.

The dual Brownlow medallist was stationed primarily up forward against the Magpies, a ploy that could well change on Sunday against the Western Bulldogs.

Key forward Sam Reid is considered a good chance to return on the weekend from his two-week stint on the sidelines with a knee injury, and Roos is tipping Goodes will benefit from the added freedom.

“It’s probably the first time the focus has gone back on Goodesy because they didn’t win,” Roos told AAP.

“So it’s a little unfair. I think he’s been playing his role and it’s the role he’s been asked to play.

“Now it’s probably time for him to move into the midfield more.

“It’s the first loss they’ve had in ages and it’s easy to point the finger at the best player in the team but it didn’t look too concerning from where I was sitting.”

Swans coach John Longmire agreed with his predecessor’s summation, backing the club’s all-time games record holder to regain his touch before September.

“He was quiet on the weekend, but certainly if Sam Reid comes in, it helps him in a structural sense,” Longmire said on Monday.

“Goodesy was playing a bit more key position, which is something he hasn’t done a lot of this year.

“He’s moving really well at training and during games. It’s just that he was quiet on the weekend.

“He’s a good footballer, who works really hard, and he’ll get his touch back.”

While the Bulldogs are likely to provide Goodes with a handy chance to regain form, it’s a match the ladder-leading Swans can’t afford to lose with testing assignments against Hawthorn (home) and Geelong (away) to follow before the finals.

Longmire refused to bite when given the right of reply to criticism from ex-Magpies coach Mick Malthouse, who suggested the Swans don’t deserve to be atop the ladder and are only there due to a friendly draw.

“We don’t come in here on a Monday, look at Mick Malthouse’s comments and throw the world upside down and do the review completely different because of it,” he said.

“He’s entitled to his opinion and a lot of people think he’s right in that and that’s fine. It doesn’t worry me and it doesn’t worry the players.

“I don’t completely disagree with Mick – we’ve still got to improve and I’ve said that every week.”