SYDNEY Aug 2 AAP - Sydney coach John Longmire says co-captain Jarrad McVeigh has taken his game to another level since moving to halfback and won't necessarily return to the midfield fulltime now Rhyce Shaw is finally fit.
Veteran Shaw is set to play a senior game for the first time since round two after overcoming an abdominal issue.
In his absence McVeigh has been a revelation on the halfback line, combining with Nick Malceski to give Sydney great run out of defence.
Shaw will play against Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Sunday if he pulls up okay from Friday's training.
Already blessed with multiple midfield options, Longmire doesn't want to tamper too much with a successful formula.
Relishing the flexibility and versatility of his players, Lnngmire revealed McVeigh probably wouldn't go straight back to a fulltime midfield role.
"It may happen but I'm not sure whether we want to do it completely because McVeigh and Malceski have been so good across our halfback line," Longmire said on Friday.
"They've been fantastic in that part of the ground and McVeigh was one of our leading goalkickers until we moved him back and has taken his game to another level, we think, as far as his leadership and his consistency.
'So we're mindful of that, but I'm sure we'll find a way to fit them all in."
Longmire said Shaw was a candidate for the substitute role on Sunday, but had no qualms about the veteran's fitness despite just one game back in the reserves.
"If he was coming off the bench he would be able to give us some real spark and speed and inject himself into the game straight away and we'd be confident of that," Longmire said.
"But also if he needs to play 80 to 100 minutes, if he was in the 21, we're confident that he's done enough work to be able to do that."
While big wins last week for Sydney, Hawthorn and Geelong have many pundits declaring the flag battle a three-horse race, Longmire refuses to buy into that.
"'I don't see it that way at all," Longmire said.
"Everyone has got an opinion outside the club and, they can have it, that's fine."
Longmire is wary of the improving Bulldogs.
"If they get their hands on the ball they will do some damage," Longmire said.
"They have got some really good running players. They have gone from 13th in possessions to being No.1 in disposals over the last three weeks."
