Sydney coach Paul Roos has questioned why some clubs were praised for missing the AFL finals, while the Swans were criticised despite launching yet another September campaign.

Roos led the Swans to the finals in his first full season in charge in 2003 and hasn't missed since. Next week Sydney, currently eighth, will begin their sixth consecutive finals campaign.

Even though they've lost six of their past eight games, the Swans coach insists they retain the ability to overcome challenges.

"It's a challenge because we are obviously not playing well," Roos said ahead of their SCG clash with 10th-placed Brisbane.

"But I've still got enormous faith in this group and the team and the players that we can turn it around.

"We've got two weeks to do it, starting tomorrow night.

"I'm surprised that teams that finished ninth (Richmond), 10th, 11th (Carlton) and 12th (Essendon) get so much credit yet the teams that finished fifth (Collingwood), sixth (Adelaide), seventh (St Kilda) and eighth (don't) ...

"I can tell you one thing I know for certain. We are going to have more chance of doing damage in the finals than Carlton, Essendon, Richmond, Fremantle, Melbourne, et cetera.

"It is a surprising environment.

"If you look at the Swans, people said last year we were too old and too slow and this year we would really struggle and we wouldn't make the eight."

He said the club had made the eight while blooding six debutants - Kieran Jack, Jarred Moore, Heath Grundy, Jesse White, Nick Smith, Ryan Brabazon and Craig Bird.

"As a club we're very proud of our achievements this year," he said.

"We have been able to maintain a very, very high standard over the past six years.

"Some teams haven't but they seem to get credit for that. So it's just the environment that you operate in.

"It's a great achievement to play in finals, despite what some people would lead you to believe."

The Swans must confront tough decisions on an older group comprising Barry Hall, Peter Everitt, Leo Barry, Jared Crouch, Brett Kirk, Michael O'Loughlin and Ben Mathews who are all over 30.

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