Sydney believe they've already been written off but they're confident they can prove critics wrong, starting against AFL premiership favourites St Kilda on Saturday night.

The Swans are outsiders with bookmakers to either beat the Saints in their season opener at ANZ Stadium or make the top eight after the biggest upheaval to the Sydney roster in a decade.

A host of players from other clubs, including Daniel Bradshaw (Brisbane), Mark Seaby (West Coast) and Josh Kennedy (Hawthorn), have been thrown into the mix with some talented but untried youngsters led by Lewis Jetta.

It has 2009 runners-up St Kilda a $1.45 favourite to beat the Swans ($2.70), while the Swans are a distant tenth in premiership betting at $51.

The Swans are keenly aware pundits expect them to continue their fall this season, having missed the finals last season for the first time since 2002.

But veteran midfielder Brett Kirk, who will again co-captain the club with Adam Goodes and Craig Bolton, likes what he has seen around him during the pre-season.

"I'm looking forward to Saturday night and playing St Kilda, the grand finalists," he said.

"I think we're going to be a bit of an unknown this year, we'll surprise a few people.

"I think the new mix of players, it's a different balance with added speed outside, a couple of new ruckmen, some more depth to our midfield, a key forward.

"I think there's a lot of positives to look forward to this year."

There are expectations the Swans will play a more attractive, attacking style in 2010, compared to the grafting, hard-nosed football that has typified their successful period under coach Paul Roos.

But Roos and some of the senior players have already said "accountable" football will remain the Swans' No.1 priority, sentiment echoed by highly rated former Geelong ruckman Shane Mumford, another Sydney debutant on Saturday.

"Probably just more the speed," Mumford said when asked the difference between Sydney and the Cats.

"The speed at Geelong, we were playing on at all costs whereas up here sometimes they don't mind holding the ball up and trying to work your way down the ground.

"That is definitely the biggest change for me. I used to take marks and just hand it off straight away, whereas here sometimes they don't want that."

Bradshaw, who enjoyed significant success during his time with the Lions, also has high hopes for Sydney's prospects.

"I'm not putting too many high expectations on myself, but I think as a team, what we've shown in the early games of the season, we might be a fair chance to get into the eight," he said.

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