SYDNEY SWANS midfielder Paul Bevan says this week's clash against Collingwood is "a mini finals clash" that the Swans desperately need to win.

Collingwood has defeated the Swans in their past four clashes and the 23-year-old said that the club needs to rectify that situation.

"We haven't played our best footy against them," Bevan said. "They match up really well against us. It is a mental and physical battle. We will do our homework and hopefully get the win."

Despite the Swans showing glimpses of improved form last night against Geelong, Bevan was at a loss to explain the team's dip in form which has seen them win just two of their last seven games, both victories against sides outside the top eight (Carlton and Fremantle) and both by less than a goal.

"I really don't know why we aren't playing good footy," he said. "We need to get on top of it soon because if we continue to lose games we are a chance of not making finals."

Bevan said the team's focus was now solely on their upcoming clash with the Pies rather than top four aspirations.

"We just have to worry about the Collingwood game," he said. "We aren't playing great footy at the moment so we can't worry about the top four."

There were some positives Bevan believed that the Swans could take out of their 39-point defeat to Geelong.

"They have only lost one game this year and we were able to match it with them for a while so will we take some positives out of that. They are the best side in the competition. Overall, it was a pretty good effort."

A member of the Swans 2005 premiership side, Bevan has been one of the Swans' most consistent performers this year, earning high praise from coach Paul Roos after his roles on Steve Johnson and Gary Ablett last night.

"He's hungry and he's a young kid who has got desire and is a good competitor who has a good pedigree with his family's rugby league background," Roos said.