Zak Jones, Dean Towers, Isaac Heeney and Brandon Jack all experienced finals football for the first time against Fremantle on Saturday.

It wasn’t long ago, two years ago in fact, Harry Cunningham was in the same boat.

What’s different about Cunningham is the then 19-year-old was thrown in the deep end having only played four home and away matches before the 2013 finals series came around.

Omitted on the eve of the qualifying final against Hawthorn, Cunningham was immediately recalled following the loss as a replacement for the injured Ben McGlynn.

Despite the inexperience, Cunningham never looked out of place relishing the opportunity to collect 15 disposals and two goals in the semi-final triumph over Carlton before returning 13 touches and two goals in the preliminary final loss to Fremantle.

“You grow up wanting to experience finals and always strive to play good footy at the right time of year. It’s a good challenge to hit head on,” Cunningham said.

“It’s such an exciting time of the year to play footy. The intensity and pressure definitely steps up another level. Speak to any AFL player and they’ll tell you the same.

“(Jones, Towers, Heeney and Jack) would have taken a lot of excitement and experience away from last weekend.”

With six finals matches under his belt Cunningham is still relatively inexperienced, especially next to the likes of Adam Goodes (27 finals matches) and co-captain Jarrad McVeigh (21), but that shouldn’t take away from the midfielder/forward’s value this series.

As the Swans prepare for Saturday’s do-or-die semi-final against the Roos without four big names (Lance Franklin, Kieren Jack, Luke Parker and Sam Reid), the attention and onus has fallen on the side’s depth and younger brigade to help fill the void.

“We’re probably not expected to (step up) but, speaking for myself, I place high standards on myself,” Cunningham said.

“You have to step up in big games and you want to be playing good footy in big games; that’s when the champion players stand up.

“Finals football is intense and physical. If you don’t bring that you get exposed. Whoever takes to the field we’ve got full faith that they will do that and play a quality role for us.”

Cunningham, who has enjoyed a strong second half of the season to average 18 touches a game, is a chance to play a vital role in Saturday night's semi in quelling the influence of North Melbourne's Brent Harvey.

Cunningham, from Wagga Wagga and a Kangaroos supporter growing up, kept his childhood hero to just 19 disposals in last year's preliminary final.