THE SWANS' clash with Collingwood on Saturday week looms as a litmus test for their finals prospects and premiership midfielder Luke Ablett knows it.

Last season, the Magpies defeated the Swans in three matches, including the round 12 game at ANZ Stadium and the elimination final.

"They've definitely had the wood over us over the last couple of years," Ablett said.

"I saw a bit of the game they (Collingwood) played against the Bulldogs last weekend. They're still capable of playing some really good footy and, after the last few years, we have an enormous amount of respect for them."

The Magpies' gallant 10-point loss to the Dogs was further soured by the loss of forwards Anthony Rocca and Ben Reid to injury, but Ablett says Collingwood's pressure is probably its biggest strength.

"They've set a new standard of tackling in the AFL," he said. "I think against Geelong they smacked them by 80 points and then West Coast by 100. So they can play some really good footy and they can score heavily.

"I guess we just haven't turned up to play against them last couple of times and they've beaten us convincingly. So it's a big challenge for us. It's a massive test."

The fourth-placed Swans struggled against the Bulldogs (round seven) and Geelong (round five) in those encounters this season and Collingwood looms as their biggest test after six straight wins over bottom-eight sides.

"If we get our fundamentals right, the contested footy which is the basis of our game and limiting their uncontested footy with our accountability, we'll give ourselves a chance to win … and if we don't, we probably won't win," he said.

"It's as simple as that."