North's 2014 home and away season had a bit of everything.
Outstanding wins against top-four teams the Sydney Swans, Fremantle and Hawthorn.
Strangely flat performances against fellow finals contenders such as Essendon, Collingwood, Gold Coast and Adelaide (round 13).
And a shock loss to a Brisbane Lions team that until then had won just three games and sat 17th on the ladder.
North heads into the finals on the back of a season-high four-game winning streak.
Asked whether North's inconsistency could cause self-doubt to creep in on Saturday night, Swallow said North had identified the areas that held it back earlier in the season.
"I think our last four weeks we've really got on top of what makes us a good side," Swallow said on Monday.
"I think we're really clear now as a playing group of what we need to do during games to play well.
"I think we've ironed out a couple of those things that have probably stopped us from putting four-quarter performances together.
"So we're comfortable going into this week. We know if we can execute we should get a good result."
Sitting alongside Swallow on Monday, North coach Brad Scott said his players had responded well to the scrutiny their fluctuating 2014 form had attracted.
"The players have grown, they've matured, they're more resilient than they've been at any point before in my tenure at the football club," said Scott, who is in his fifth year at Arden Street.
"So I look back on it and say, well, how did we handle it? Well, we handled it with 14 wins."
Saturday night's game will be just the second final North has played under Scott.
The first, an elimination final against West Coast at Patersons Stadium in 2012, carries bitter memories for the Roos.
On a warm day in Perth, North capitulated to the Eagles by 96 points, its barnstorming 10-2 finish to the home and away season seeming to catch up with a number of players.
But Scott said the Roos were far better prepared for this year's finals.
"We qualified eighth (in 2012) on the back of eight elimination finals in a row and when the real elimination final turned up we were just not ready to take our opportunity and we got completely shown up on the day," he said.
"The fact that it was a final, away from home, all that sort of stuff is irrelevant. We were just cooked at that stage of the season.
"We're a much more resilient, hardened group and a group that's earned its opportunity of a home final on the back of 14 wins.
"We're definitely more ready, but whether we're ready enough we'll find out Saturday night."
Swallow is one of just seven Roos who played in the club's last finals win, the 2007 first semi-final victory over Hawthorn.
Swallow said the club would love to taste finals success again, but the Roos skipper had not thought about whether North needed to win the Bombers clash to earn a pass mark for 2014.
"Most of the guys who played in that (2007) game aren't on the list anymore," Swallow said.
"We've got a new group of players and we're all trying to create something for ourselves and for our club and supporters.
