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New Zealand Warrior Logan Swann believes the intensity of the National Rugby League has gone up a few notches during his three years away.
Seven rounds into the season and with the Warriors up against yet another top-three side this weekend -- South Sydney -- the back rower said he was close to the level of fitness he wanted.
"The game has improved a lot," he said.
"It just seems a bit quicker, a bit faster from what I experienced the last time I was playing in the NRL and that calls for higher fitness levels."
Swann notched up 145 appearances for the Warriors before heading to England, where he played for Bradford and Warrington.
He admitted the transition back from the English Super League hadn't been an easy one.
"The intensity level in the NRL is right up there every week and it's taken some adjusting," he said.
"Over in the UK, you have this sort of intensity maybe every third or fourth game."
Swann, 31, has started all five of the Warriors' matches so far and will again wear the No 12 jersey in Sydney on Sunday.
The match at Telstra Stadium will be a bit of a New Zealand get-together, with Souths having a core of New Zealanders in Roy Asotasi, fellow-forward David Fa'alogo, five-eighth Jeremy Smith and centre Nigel Vagana.
Another compatriot, David Kidwell, is out with injury while Joe Galuvao has been playing reserve grade this season.
"There might be a little catch-up off the paddock," Swann said.
"But once you're on the field, you just treat them as another opponent in the opposition team."
Four wins in six rounds have taken South Sydney to third on the table, which means the fourth-place Warriors will face a side sitting above them for the fourth match in a row.
The last time the two teams met, the Warriors handed out a 66-0 hiding at Telstra Stadium as the Rabbitohs slid to their third wooden spoon in four seasons.
But under new ownership, Souths have a different look this year, with a new coach in Jason Taylor and player gains that included Asotasi, Kidwell, Vagana and Smith.
Swann was happy to see the change in fortunes for the Redfern club.
"Jason Taylor is young and enthusiastic, and with the players they've recruited in the off-season, they have the recipe for good things.
"It's just good to see South Sydney up there competing and doing well. Gone are the days where they're at the bottom of the table struggling."
The winner of 28 Kiwis caps between 1996 to 2004, Swann said his test days were behind him. He was content to watch last week's Anzac clash on television with a beer and some peanuts at hand.
But he hoped to able to extend his club career beyond his present one-year contract with the Warriors.
"I'm looking to play another year and we'll see what happens after that," he said.
"At the moment, I'm just focusing on playing well week after week with the Warriors, and if that comes up, that would be great."
- NZPA
