Sydney coach John Longmire is delighted with the improved form of Adam Goodes and is confident the AFL veteran will deliver against struggling Carlton on Friday.
Dual Brownlow Medallist Goodes, the Swans all-time games leader with 357, voluntarily dropped himself to reserve grade earlier in the season and struggled to make an impact in some games before and after that two-match stint in the NEAFL.
But he logged a season-high 18 touches and grabbed seven marks in last Saturday's win over reigning premiers Hawthorn, having tallied 15 and eight the previous week against Geelong.
"Goodesy's form on the weekend was really strong. We're so happy with the way he went," Longmire said on Monday.
"He performed at a really good strong level in a big game and his last couple of weeks have been good."
Longmire conceded there had been question marks against Goodes earlier in the season.
"Yeah, there was, he was able to make those necessary adjustments and work to the level he needed to work to, to make sure he got back into really good form and he's been able to do that.
"He's a very proud man and he's very competitive and we saw that on the weekend.
"I'm confident we'll continue to see it this week."
Longmire nominated increased game time as a key factor in the veteran's form lift.
"Once he was able to do that he was then able to back his confidence and his ability to be able to take over a bit," Longmire said.
"His running stats, certainly if you look at his GPS numbers, have been big. He's really getting up and down the ground well."
Goodes is assured of a better reception at the SCG on Friday than at the MCG last weekend when he was booed by some members of the crowd.
"It's disappointing because he still continues to be a champion of the game, but it doesn't affect him too much," Longmire said.
"As we saw on the weekend he goes about his business in a pretty professional way and still plays good strong footy.
Longmire wasn't giving any thought to the plight of his Carlton counterpart Mick Malthouse, when asked if he was saddened by the firestorm of speculation surrounding the Blues mentor.
"He's fairly experienced Mick and we play Carlton this week and that's what I'm focused on," Longmire said.
He gave short shrift to the suggestion one of his assistants, Stuart Dew, was considered a potential successor to Malthouse.
"As far as I know Mick is coaching Carlton, so there's no jobs available and we're focused on Carlton," Longmire said.
"Thats all we're worried about. I don't deal in ifs."
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