Sydney midfielder Ryan O'Keefe says Sunday's AFL clash against Richmond is crucial for his side and they will be treating the match like a final.

The Swans had a disappointing one-point loss against Essendon on Saturday night, with co-captain Adam Goodes missing a 50-metre kick for a win after the siren.

The result means the Swans are seventh on the ladder, equal on 38 points with the eighth-placed Bombers.

O'Keefe said the Swans' attacking movements, turnovers and 2.9 scoring tally in the last quarter led to the loss, but said his side wouldn't dwell on it.

"You've really got to move on," O'Keefe said at the Swans' training session at the SCG on Wednesday.

"You can't sulk about what's happened."

He said the Swans' match against Richmond at the MCG was a "must win" and they would not be treating it lightly.

"They are very dangerous," O'Keefe said of Richmond.

"We've got nobody else to blame but ourselves if we lose or win.

"We are all treating this as a final."

The next four matches will prove crucial for the Swans, with O'Keefe saying he believes his side are still real contenders for the grand final.

He said the Swans would continue to find their stride as the team gelled better in coming seasons.

"We've got a lot of guys who have played under 50 games," he said.

"I think we are going to get better as a team (by) playing more footy together.

"I think we will get better as the years go on."

He said while the Swans had dropped a few games they shouldn't have, he believed overall they had been "pretty consistent" this season.

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