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Sydney coach John Longmire is taking the AFL ladder out of the equation and keeping his focus on guiding an injury-hit Swans out of their form slump.

Refusing to get caught up by ladder positions, Sydney coach John Longmire remains confident his side will push past an AFL form slump and extensive injury list.

The Swans are licking their wounds after a 39-point loss to the Western Bulldogs condemned them to their fourth defeat in five games.

They still remain atop of the ladder, but fellow flag contenders the Brisbane Lions and Fremantle have cut their buffer down to six points as the rest of the competition continues to narrow the gap.

With four home-and-away rounds left this season, Longmire is focused on guiding his side out of their form slump with a win against Port Adelaide.

"We don't really get focused on that and we haven't and we shouldn't because it's about - I know I've said it before and most coaches do - but it is very much about your process and getting that right," Longmire said on Tuesday.

"Everyone outside the club talks about where the competition sits and ladder positions and things like that.

"Believe it or not, we don't try and get caught up in that at all, really. I don't as a coach.

"You put that ladder position out of the equation and you just look at your game.

"We sit down and work through what we need to do in the immediate term, knowing full well that Port Adelaide this week's really important for us but also the way we want to play is important.

"We're confident that we know what to do and we just have to go out and do it."

James Rowbottom will return to the side after recovering from a facial fracture in a massive relief for the injury-hit Swans.

The hardrunning midfielder's absence last round was especially felt as Sydney were emphatically outworked by the Bulldogs, trailing on clearances 30 to 40 and 135 to 162 for contested possessions.

Key defender Lewis Melican could also be a chance to play against the Power after coming off in the second term against the Dogs with a hamstring injury.

The Swans are already missing star forward Tom Papley (ankle), defensive veteran Dane Rampe (calf) and midfielder Justin McInerney (knee).

"He'll be back this week. It'll be good to have him back. He's a crash-and-bash player," Longmire said of Rowbottom's return.

"Hopefully he's enjoyed the couple of weeks off but he will come back into the team.

"(Melican's injury is) not as bad as what we thought so we're still hopeful.

"We'll see how it goes this week but relieved that he's actually not too bad. He's pulled up OK."