Very little is cut and dry in modern football but there is mounting evidence to suggest that when Jetta fires the Swans fly high, but their wings are clipped when he flops.

Which means he is set to come under intense pressure from Hawthorn in Saturday night's battle of the heavyweights at ANZ Stadium.

Exhibit A is the Swans' poor first half against Fremantle. Jetta had just three possessions up to half-time and the Swans managed only one goal. In the second half as the Swans charged home to nearly pinch victory, Jetta managed eight touches.

Against Richmond, he was among Sydney's more influential players early but faded after half-time with only four disposals as the Tigers produced a stunning 50-point turnaround.

And who can forget last year's grand final where Jetta was battered from pillar to post in a four-possession shocker though the Swans had so many stars down it would not have mattered how well he played.

Swans coach John Longmire said Jetta's consistency was at a "reasonable level" but conceded there were times he, like many, dropped away.

His importance to the Swans' fortunes is borne out in Champion Data's player ratings. When the Swans win he rates seventh with a mark of 12.3 but plummets to 2.7 (21st) when they are beaten.

Only Port Adelaide forward Jay Schulz and Geelong midfielder Mitch Duncan have a greater discrepancy among players who have played in at least three wins and three losses.

So how can a player who is not among the Swans' elite - he has never recorded a podium finish in the club's best and fairest - be so important to them?

At his best Jetta boasts some of the most damaging valued traits in the game - electrifying pace combined with precise and penetrative kicking.

Longmire said Jetta had become a more rounded player since bursting onto the scene in 2012 as a gun goalsneak. He is now also used in the midfield and to provide rebound from defence.

"He's been able to grasp those roles really well, he's a very smart player. We use him a lot and talk to him about it," Longmire said. "He sees the game really well and he's developed into a consistent player for us. He gives us that outside run and delivery, but he's also improved his inside game and pressure."​

Weighing 75 kilograms, Jetta is light for a league footballer but is desperate to shake off perceptions he can be found wanting for physicality.

Jetta was one of several Swans who served it up to the Hawks in the physical stakes when the two sides met at the MCG in May, and his vigorous defence of Luke Parker against Port Adelaide was also noted.

There is unlikely to be a shortage of skirmishes when the Swans aim for back-to-back wins against the Hawks, who Longmire compared to the powerhouse Brisbane side of 2001-03.

"They're a team that Alastair [Clarkson] has been on the record of wanting to be close to the edge and pushing the boundaries," Longmire said. "If you're not prepared to match them in all areas you tend to fall short.

"That's the challenge for any team that plays them - to get into that mental and physical state to match them in the physical contest. You know they'll bring it."

Longmire expected defender Ted Richards to return but Isaac Heeney is no certainty for a senior recall. The Swans are weighing up whether the youngster's two games in the reserves are sufficient match practice for such a big game.

"He may need one more game," Longmire said.