NORTH Melbourne will use its 2014 preliminary final defeat by the Sydney Swans as motivation ahead of Saturday night's rematch at ANZ Stadium, captain Andrew Swallow says.

North travelled to ANZ Stadium last year after stirring finals wins over Essendon and Geelong, but the Swans, who had finished as minor premiers, took a stranglehold on the contest early and made the Roos look second-rate as they powered to a 71-point victory.

The Swans dominated the inside 50s 69-44 and their forwards took full advantage, taking 27 marks inside forward 50. North, on the other hand, took nine marks inside its attacking arc, just one more than Lance Franklin's individual tally for the night.

Asked by reporters whether North was ignoring the humbling defeat as it prepared to face the Swans in another knockout final, Swallow said the club could not forget the disappointing end to its 2014 finals campaign.

"You've got to look back at it. It's good motivation to go up there and get the job done," Swallow said.

"They are completely different circumstances, it's a completely different (Swans) line-up this week that we'll face and I think physically as a team we're much better placed to try and get a win up there."

Swallow said North was 'cooked' last year when it took on the Swans, with the finals wins over the Bombers and Cats having taken a physical toll on the playing group.

But the North skipper said the club's decision to rest nine senior players, including him, from the round 23 clash against Richmond had been designed to prevent that happening again in this year's finals series.

"I'm definitely feeling much better now than I was this time last year," Swallow said.

"I think we'll be in better nick."

North will also take on a Swans team that on paper looks weaker than last year's preliminary final line-up.

Franklin manhandled North's defenders last September on his way to a game-high five goals and five contested marks. But the three-time Coleman medallist will miss Saturday night's game with a mental health condition, as will fellow tall forward Sam Reid (hamstring).

The Swans have also ruled out midfielder Luke Parker (broken leg), while co-captain Kieren Jack (medial ligament strain) and defender Nick Smith (hamstring) will have to pass fitness tests to play.

But Swallow is expecting a fierce contest from the Swans no matter what 22 they take into the semi-final.

He points out that they took on Fremantle at its Domain Stadium stronghold last Saturday without Franklin, Jack, Parker, Smith and, from the second term, Reid, and fell just nine points short of the minor premier.

"They might have been a bit undermanned but I thought they were terrific," Swallow said.

"Freo were all over them in a pretty hostile environment and they just fought it out and had their chances late.

"They've got some really crucial guys out of their team, but the Sydney that has been playing for the last 10 years bats so deep. They just keep rolling different guys in and they seem to perform a role and get the job done.

"It's probably nice not to have some of those guys running around, but I don't expect it to be any easier."