BEN MATHEWS believes the Swans need to change their mindset to challenge St Kilda on Saturday night.

“I think we’re probably waiting for someone to spark us, within our team, and are not actually getting in there and doing what we usually do," said Mathews.

"We usually initiate play. We’re being very reactive and mentally a bit slow off the mark."

Being tardy has cost the Swans this year. Last Saturday, they outscored the Kangaroos in two quarters and drew the third, but couldn't claw back their first-quarter deficit of 35 points.

"If you’re behind the eight-ball, you’re playing catch up for the rest of the game and you’re making it very, very hard," Mathews said.

Since 2003, meetings between St Kilda and Sydney have been split, with the ledger reading three wins a piece.

"The times that we’ve played well [against St Kilda] and won those games is when we’ve really respected them as a side," said Mathews.

"They’re a fantastic side with talent all over the park, so if we don’t respect them and pay them their dues, they can wipe us off the park. That has happened before."

"But when we’ve made it a contest, we’ve attacked the man with the footy and attacked the footy itself for a full 120 minutes, we've given ourselves a chance. And that’s what we need to do week-in, week-out. That’s a challenge for us, to get that consistency in our game."

The rivalry has an additional dimension this year, with former Swans midfield coach Ross Lyon now coaching the Saints. Mathews can see Lyon's influence at his new club, introducing a style of play more associated with the Swans.

"I think what [Lyon] has done is really try to make them a more accountable side, a lot like us. You can see in the way they play the game, [they're] very hard at the football.

"Their players are a little bit different to ours – they have a lot of talent in the midfield with the Dal Santos, the Harveys, the Luke Balls and those sort of players. So they do have some different strengths. But, at the same time, I see a lot of our style coming through in them."

While Mathews acknowledges Lyon has some inside knowledge of the Swans, he doesn't believe that will pose a significant problem.

"He probably knows players and their strengths and weaknesses and things like that, but in this day and age, most coaches and clubs understand the strengths and weakness of each different player, whoever they come up against.

"He knows us a little bit more personally, but I think once you run out there it will be a lot about who is mentally strong and prepared to attack the footy and make it a contest, more than what he knows about us."