GOLD Coast is treating Sunday's match against the Sydney Swans like a final, but for the first time is not intimidated by its more fancied rival.

Only percentage separates the two teams (7-3) on the ladder, but the third-placed Swans will start favourites at Metricon Stadium after routing Geelong in their last start.

In three previous meetings, the Swans have physically intimidated their younger opponents, winning by an average of 61 points and never being seriously threatened.

But Gold Coast vice-captain Michael Rischitelli says the Suns are now in better shape to take on one of the premiership favorites.

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"Definitely our mentality is going to be finals footy," Rischitelli said.

"We've got some guys who have got games under their belt now, we've got some guys that have played some good footy now, we're gelling better now as a group.

"They played well last week, we've been playing well - so it'll be a good test.

"You probably want to play teams in their best patches, so we'll just have to take it up to them."

Coach Guy McKenna said on Wednesday while he respected the Swans, he felt his players were no longer intimidated by them.

"If I asked the group in our first two years, I reckon they would have been (intimidated)," McKenna said.

"They've idolised some of these blokes, come out of Under-18s football and all of a sudden are playing alongside some of the people they'd idolised.

"I don't think it's now frightening or scary for them. Now they see it as a great challenge. They don't fear them any more."

Rischitelli said the Swans had been the benchmark for 10-15 years and were a team that had taken defensive pressure to another level.

He said the Suns’ midfielders and forwards would have to lead the team defence to help out a backline that will have to cope with the Swans' all-star forward line of Lance Franklin, Kurt Tippett and Adam Goodes.

"If you want to be the best, you've got to beat the best," Rischitelli said.