COLLINGWOOD has won its past three clashes with Sydney but Swans captain Brett Kirk warns it will face a different team tonight.

The Magpies enjoyed victory in round 12 at Telstra Stadium and two weekends ago at the same venue, Collingwood embarrassed Sydney, the winning margin of 25 points flattering, according to Kirk.

But the lessons learned from that defeat were shown last Sunday when Sydney belted Hawthorn by 12 goals, and the meek performance against the Pies could be the catalyst to another successful finals' campaign.

"It just seemed we felt really flat for that game at the MCG," Kirk said yesterday.

"Most guys were pretty embarrassed about their performance against Collingwood. I think we were a bit flattered on the scoreboard. They outplayed us and we'll cop that, but we'll be looking to rectify that this week.

"I think it gave us an indication that it was becoming a long year and guys were getting a bit flat mentally, so we had to change things up and it can be a catalyst. I know looking at the footage this week, it was very disappointing, some of the efforts of me individually and other teammates, and it's something we want to change.

"The game against Hawthorn was one of our best games of the year, so this week we've come off a bit of a lighter preparation as well just to freshen guys up.

"They (Collingwood) have had a good consistent year and they've got some good players. "They do match up pretty well with us, but the last game we played against them we were ordinary in all aspects.

"I'm sure they are not going to underestimate us, but I don't think they have seen the best of us this year. We're in a lot better form mentally this time around.

"We've got some momentum coming in from the last game and I thought last week was probably our best game for the year." Kirk said his team "love playing in September", a month in which it has won seven of its past nine matches, and the fact that it has so much finals experience will be a huge benefit.

Collingwood's 22 players tonight have played in 74 finals games. For Sydney six forwards have played 78 finals matches. The Swans' team goes into tonight's match with 213 games of finals experience. Magpie Shane O'Bree has the most finals appearances for his club with nine, while Sydney forward Michael O'Loughlin has 17 and key attacker Barry Hall 16.

"I think it does play a part," Kirk said of finals' experience. "We've got nearly 250 games of finals experience (they have 253 games of finals experience on their total roster), that's a lot of finals' experience.

"You play in front of big crowds and there is a lot of pressure there, so I think it does play a part.

"We love playing in September and coming off last week, we got back to how the Swans want to play their football."