SYDNEY will adopt a finals-like mentality against Adelaide in Friday night's blockbuster.

The Swans, who are set to make history by becoming the first side to start a season with six straight losses then reach the finals, are a chance of finishing in the top four.

They will have to travel at some point in September if they wish to end a run of near-misses in recent years and win a flag.

In that regard, testing themselves against the ladder leaders at Adelaide Oval shapes as an ideal dress rehearsal for finals.

"In a home and away sense, definitely (this is Sydney's biggest game of the year)," defender Dane Rampe said on Wednesday.

"They're ladder leaders, we're in pretty good form ourselves.

"You're going to have to (bring a finals-like mentality) ... it's going to be on.

"I dare say they'll be treating it like a finals match. We like to think we're playing on the edge every week and this week is going to be no different."

Rampe, whose team silenced Geelong's home crowd a fortnight ago with an opening-quarter blitz, added that the noisy venue held no fears.

"We really enjoy the atmosphere ... we love being 22 on the field against the whole stadium. I feel like we've really thrived in that area over the last 12-18 months," he said.

Skipper Josh Kennedy's expected return will shape the on-ball battle but the most fascinating showdown will unfold between the AFL's most potent forward line and miserly defence.

The Crows average a league-best 16.6 goals a game, moving the ball with devastating speed and precision to Taylor Walker, Eddie Betts, Tom Lynch, Josh Jenkins and Mitch McGovern.

The Swans have restricted their opposition to a league-best 10.9 goals per match, with Rampe noting team defence is the key to shutting down any star-studded forward line.

"They've got a lot of goal-scoring options ... it's tough because they're all genuine targets and genuine threats," he said.

"It's not just the defensive six, it's our 18-man defence that we really pride ourselves on."