Sydney forward Nick Davis is feeling a case of deja vu as the Swans prepare to face Collingwood at Telstra Stadium on Saturday.

Davis was with Collingwood last year as the Magpies surged towards the grand final, before walking out on the club in the offseason to return home to Sydney.

The talented 23-year-old, who kicked 85 goals in 71 games for Collingwood, can sense a similar feeling at Sydney to that which drove the `Pies to within two goals of last year's premiership flag.

"Collingwood at the end of last year lost four games in a row and they thought `you're making up the numbers in the finals, go over to Adelaide and lose'," Davis said.

"And I think the last couple of weeks where we lost to Hawthorn and Adelaide, a few people thought `Sydney, their season's finished, there's no more finals, they'll just be in there and then be straight out'.

"Then we played really well last week (against Brisbane) and got the victory."

"The similarities keep popping up.

"I don't know why or how, but they do and hopefully that's where they stop on grand final day, if we do get there, and the result will be reversed."

Collingwood was largely written off before beating minor premier Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium in the qualifying final last year, eventually reaching the decider.

Saturday's match, when a record AFL crowd outside Melbourne of around 65,000 is anticipated, is crucial to both teams' top four aspirations.

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