Sydney star Isaac Heeney says it will be difficult to see coach John Longmire leave, but is more focused on riding a surging form wave that has catapulted the Swans into AFL finals calculations.
North Melbourne have confirmed their interest in former Kangaroos star Longmire becoming their next full-time coach and have approached his manager.
Sydney have reached the finals in each of Longmire’s first eight seasons, winning a premiership in 2012 and losing grand finals in 2014 and 2016.
“He’s an unbelievable person but obviously an unbelievable coach with huge success, so it would be difficult seeing him leave, but whatever is best for him, I guess,” Heeney said before training on Thursday.
Heeney said Longmire’s demeanour towards the players hadn’t changed.
“He’s fully invested in this side and in the rest of the season and there’s that hope, that chance that we can make the finals and we’ll be striving for that and that’s all we’re worried about at the moment.”
Seemingly out of finals contention after a 1-6 start, Sydney have climbed from last to 14th and within two wins of eighth, after winning four of their last six. Both their losses have come against competition heavyweights Geelong and Collingwood.
“I think it was just a matter of building, we’ve gelled really nicely and we’ve got such a young squad, but inexperience comes into it a little bit,” Heeney said.
“Now we’re riding that wave, and we’ve got to ride it for a bit longer.”
Sydney have a chance to keep their momentum going with a home win on Saturday against Gold Coast, who have suffered nine straight losses.
The Swans were on the receiving end of the biggest upset of recent times when the Suns beat them at the SCG last year, after Sydney led by 29 points at the first break.
“Its just a matter of using that as a little bit of fuel to make sure it doesn’t happen again,’ Heeney said.
Heeney declared himself fit to play after getting a cork last week.
He was hampered by an ankle issue in the first half of the campaign after injuring himself towards the end of the pre-season.
“It was frustrating and hopefully I can have a good back end to the year, but it wasn’t the start to the year I would have liked,’ he said.
“The ankle is okay, it pulled up alright after the weekend, it shouldn’t bother me too much from now on hopefully.
“I feel a lot better after the bye.”
