Swans eye Magpies scalp without Goodes

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Sydney's veteran ruckman Peter Everitt says tonight's AFL match against Collingwood at the Olympic Stadium is vital to the Swans' top four hopes.

Everitt, 34, is back in the side for his first match in nearly a month, but the Swans will be without dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes for the first time since 1999.

Sydney is fourth on the ladder, but faces tough matches in the coming weeks against Hawthorn, Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs.

Everitt says the Swans are well placed to secure a top four finish.

"I think over the next month or five weeks are really going to tell us, even Collingwood, and then Hawthorn," he said.

"[We're] sitting fourth, [if we] win this weekend and put ourselves in the position to have a second chance you always give yourself hope."

Meanwhile Travis Cloke returns from suspension for Collingwood, and skipper Scott Burns is confident the Magpies will be able to cover the absence of injured ruckman Josh Fraser.

Burns says while the Magpies will be competitive in the ruck, it is the absence of injured forward Anthony Rocca that will be tough to cover.

"Woody (Cameron Wood) and Chris Bryan were really good last week so I think they'll cover Josh's absence a fair bit," he said.

"Anthony's the one that's probably a little bit disappointing because he's got a reasonable record against Sydney.

"We need him to straighten us up a fair bit so we've got to work around that one."