Sydney Swans coach John Longmire has noticed the trend of clubs playing their best 22 in this year’s NAB Challenge and will follow suit on Sunday when they take on Fremantle.
Previous years saw the pre-season competition used as a platform to implement new structures or blood young players, but Longmire says clubs are trying to get more minutes into their best players.
“It’s happened across the competition,” the 2012 premiership coach said.
“Certainly this year it seems there’s a real emphasis on making sure all your players are playing for all of those three weeks."
Fremantle has once again named their best available 22 with Aaron Sandilands, Nat Fyfe and Garrick Ibbotson all returning from injury.
Freo stars return to take on Sydney
Longmire believes Fremantle is demonstrating the recent trend.
“As you saw with Fremantle last week and this week it’s their best possible team and we’re trying to do the same,” Longmire said.
Sydney has named Lance Franklin, Adam Goodes, Jarrad McVeigh and Ted Richards, which means 18 players from the 2014 Grand Final side have been included in the 29-man playing squad for this weekend’s game at Drummoyne Oval.
Freo under no illusions against Sydney
LIVE STREAM | Watch Fremantle take on Sydney at Drummoyne Oval - Sunday 12 March
