IF THE Sydney Swans are to earn themselves a home preliminary final in two weeks' time, they must enter the hostile cauldron that is AAMI Stadium and take down an Adelaide side that has lost just once at home all year.

And the Swans can't wait.

Three defeats in their last four fixtures have the Swans hitting the road in week one to take on an Adelaide side with an 11-1 record at AAMI Stadium this year, losing only to Collingwood in round nine.

But the Swans have proved themselves handy travellers in 2012, finishing with an 8-3 clip on the road, including victories over West Coast, Essendon, Carlton and Hawthorn in Launceston.

Swans veteran Jude Bolton, who along with Adam Goodes will contest a South Melbourne/Sydney Swans record 21st finals match on Saturday, is relishing the prospect of a fierce Adelaide crowd.

"Absolutely. That's what we want," he told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

"We bunker down together and take it on.

"Hopefully there will be a few Swans people travel across as well and I think there's no better place to have a win.

"This group certainly enjoys travelling. We're on the road every second week and we've got a system that we back in.

"We're looking forward to it."

The Swans have also proven they can win finals on the road, knocking off St Kilda at Etihad Stadium last year, the Eagles in a qualifying final in 2006, as well as an upset win over Port Adelaide back in 2003.

Only Bolton, Goodes and Lewis Roberts-Thomson remain from that 2003 side, which earned a home preliminary final against the Brisbane Lions.

And the 298-game veteran will draw upon that experience as the Swans try to put themselves won more win from a Grand Final.

"There's not many of our list that can remember back then," Bolton said.

"But I probably draw on it myself. I know we went over there with basically half a team and had a win.

"The prize on offer, the preliminary final, is just a huge carrot.

"We've earned the double chance and a chance to have a crack at them.

"There's 10 teams having 'Mad Monday' today and we certainly don't want to be in that situation.

"We're excited we're still playing footy and there's a buzz around the whole group."

Losses to Collingwood, Hawthorn and Geelong in the run home weren't ideal preparation for the finals, but Bolton feels it may have steeled the Swans for the task ahead.

"It braces you for a finals-like game, which is hard, contested footy," he said.

"The last few games have been arm wrestles and that's what you want.

"Sometimes if you're having a bit of an easy win, guys can go outside team rules or just run forward of the footy.

"You can't do that in finals footy."

Bolton made a successful return from a knee injury against the Cats and says he will be better for the run this week.

"It felt good [the following day]. It was probably my degenerative other knee that was feeling a bit ordinary," he joked.

"It was good just to test it out. I got bowled over a few times and had to pick myself up and it felt good."

James Dampney covers AFL news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_JD