Time for Swans to prove September credentials. | Thebigtip

The Sydney Swans 73 point loss to the Melbourne Demons on Sunday could not have come at a worse time for the club.

There have been 17 rounds played in the AFL Premiership season so far and the Swans are yet again defying the odds despite being written off as a finals contenders earlier in the year.

Before their capitulation against Melbourne, Sydney were in sixth position, and a win against the Demons would have increased their chances of either hosting a finals match or securing a top four spot.

Before a ball was even kicked this season, not many pundits gave Sydney a chance to make the top eight with a full strength roster, let alone one currently missing some integral figures such as Daniel Bradshaw, Mark Seaby and Craig Bolton.

But here they are, sitting in eighth position on the AFL ladder, despite a hugely disappointing effort against the Demons.

For a team which prides itself on its effort and determination as a group, it was truly baffling to watch the Swans surrender meekly to Melbourne's onslaught.

In the games the Swans have lost this season, it is fair to say they have been thoroughly outplayed by the sides currently occupying the top four positions on the Premiership table.

The likes of Collingwood, Geelong, St Kilda, Fremantle and Western Bulldogs have each handed Sydney a footballing lesson this season, and it will be interesting to see if the Swans are able to play at a level capable of beating these class outfits.

Following on from Sunday's massacre against the Demons, the Swans now host Geelong at ANZ Stadium in a match which provides Sydney with a wonderful opportunity to showcase their finals credentials and re-gain lost pride, in front of their own fans.

The last time these two teams met was back in round 7, when the Cats thrashed Sydney by 67 points at Skilled Stadium.

Gary Ablett was the star on that occasion, registering a game high 38 possessions in a performance that coach Mark Thompson labelled as Geelong's most emphatic of the season up to that point.

In contrast, Swans superstar Adam Goodes is yet to make his presence felt against the AFL's real premiership contenders.

With Sydney's spot in the top eight now hanging by a thread, Goodes and the rest of his Swans team-mates will need to raise their intensity tenfold if they are to attain a priceless victory against the reigning premiers.

Like the Adelaide Crows showed two weeks ago, it only takes a champion effort across the park to unsettle a powerhouse like Geelong, and Sydney will need every drop of 'the bloods' spirit if they are to get their season back on track against the Cats.

With Paul Roos' men again confronted with adversity, one feels a win against Geelong this weekend would mean so much more than the four competition points on offer.

Because not only will the Swans re-gain control of their finals destiny, they will regain the pride and spirit of a club which was horribly surrendered against the Demons.