After months of debate whether the Swans will finally drop off their perch this season, they will find out exactly where they sit in the AFL pecking order against Hawthorn on Saturday night.

Since 2003, Sydney have been the AFL's best performing side, the only club to reach the finals in each of the last six seasons.

Adelaide and West Coast are next best with five finals appearances in that time.

But Sydney have been widely tipped to finally run out of steam this season and be left twiddling their thumbs in September.

That view wasn't swayed by last week's effort against St Kilda, when a fast start was undone by horribly inept second and third quarters, when the Swans failed to kick a single goal.

While Hawthorn are also coming off a loss, theirs was an encouraging eight-point defeat to Geelong and the supremely talented Hawks loom as a mighty challenge for the aging Swans.

Bookmakers support that view, with Hawthorn heavy favourites across the board.

Sydney's renowned camaraderie and strict adherence to their game-plan must be on show at ANZ Stadium for them to cause an upset according to defender Lewis Roberts-Thomson, who will play his 100th game.

"Hawthorn, reigning premiers, fantastic outfit, they proved against Geelong last weekend they're again going to be very competitive this year," Roberts-Thomson said on Thursday.

"We can't get too focused on Jarryd Roughead and Buddy Franklin up forward, it's got to be a team effort once again where we help each other out."

Hawthorn spent years being Sydney's whipping boys until they finally broke the drought in round 15 last year en route to the premiership.

And they are loath to join the chorus of critics ready to write off the Swans.

"I think they've got the oldest list but that probably holds them in good stead, it's probably a positive for them," Hawks skipper Sam Mitchell said in Sydney.

"They've got experienced bodies, strong bodies, the way they play has been very successful for a long period.

"If you want to be someone that knocks the Swannies, you'll do it at your own peril."

Roberts-Thomson has come a long way since his days playing rugby union at school in Sydney.

With his mop of blond hair and awkward gait, 'LRT' is something of a cult figure with Swans fans, but has developed into an effective if unorthodox defender as he proved in Sydney's 2005 flag.

He will have a huge job on his hands at ANZ Stadium.

"There's definitely a possibility I'll be lining up on Buddy or Jarryd," he said.

"The mindset is to go one hundred per cent and rely a lot on your teammates.

"Buddy's such a fantastic player, proved it last year kicking over a hundred goals, he's very hard to stop.

"It's a daunting task."

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