The higher the stakes, the better Sydney perform this AFL season.

It bodes well for Saturday night’s final-round showdown with rivals Hawthorn at the SCG, the winner of which will secure a top-four spot and double chance in September.

The Swans were written off as finals contenders after a five-game slump in which they won one match, memorably losing to both Gold Coast and Essendon.

They have since bounced back in style, defeating top-eight teams Collingwood, Melbourne and GWS.

Sydney secured a finals spot, for the 15th occasion in 16 consecutive seasons, with their upset 20-point derby victory on Saturday.

“It seems, especially this year, that when our backs are to the wall we really lift,” Swans vice-captain Dane Rampe told reporters.

“I don’t know whether that’s a good or bad thing … our consistency this year has been a bit disappointing.

“I prefer to look at is as glass half full, our younger blokes and leaders have really stood up recently.”

Rampe suggested negative commentary about the Swans’ finals hopes, which peaked when they suffered a 43-point loss to the Bombers in round 19, delivered a “little bit of motivation”.

“It doesn’t get spoken about too much but I think individually it’s in the back of your mind, wanting to prove the doubters wrong,” the key defender said.

“We’ve done it over the last 15 years or something, so we’re more than confident in our ability and systems.

“When you come to the club you’re taught a certain way of going about things. It’s held us in good stead.

“That’s what you revert back to when you’re under the pump … like last year when we had the 0-6 start and this year during that little mid-season form slump.”

Rampe believes finishing the regular season with four finals-like contests will hold the club in good shape come September.

“It’s better to have these tough games,” he said.

“It’s going to be a big challenge. The Hawks are in great form and there’s a bit on the line.”

The form of Lance Franklin, who has kicked a combined 13 goals during the past three games, has played a key role in the Swans’ turnaround.

John Longmire’s team have also regained their trademark attack on the ball.

“We needed to get our tackles up,” Longmire said.

“It (the slump) was only a two-week period … it wasn’t dropping off the face of the earth.

“But we’d dropped away in our intensity. We dropped too far and just concentrated on getting our pressure up. The other things flowed.”