Bickley said the Swans have a "star system" as they are too reliant on the their top-end talent. He believes superstar Lance Franklin must kick a minimum of four goals for the Swans to progress while Dan Hannebery, Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Dane Rampe must lift on last week's performances.

The idea that a club is at their strongest when their elite players deliver is not groundbreaking, but its importance is magnified at the Swans, who have blooded seven debutants this year. The team fielded against Greater Western Sydney included eight players yet to play 50 games – seven of whom are in their debut finals series. The Crows had six and one respectively.

The minor premiers had few winners against the Giants with many of their best players down by their usual lofty standards, including All-Australian representatives Franklin, Hannebery, Kennedy, Parker and Rampe.

"I feel Adelaide's strength is they have been even, they haven't relied on one player. Sydney are much more reliant on their star players," Bickley said.

"If Adelaide can quell one or two of Sydney's top players they're vulnerable because their top-end isn't as strong as Adelaide's.

"Buddy has to play well, Kennedy has to get his 35 [possessions], Hannebery and Parker have to play well, Rampe has to defend really well.

"If you have a star system where you rely on 10 star players and you lose two of them, you're really relying on them to play out of their skin."

That has generally happened this year for the Swans, who have allowed first-season players like Aliir Aliir, Tom Papley and George Hewett to find their feet at senior level without having to play above their post.

"There are a lot of guys who haven't played a lot of footy so you can't expect them to be your really good players," Bickley said. "Some of them will chime in but you don't want to rely on them to lead the way.

"If you're going to rely on some players you don't mind them being Parker, Hannebery and Kennedy because they deliver pretty regularly."

Franklin was among the Swans' best but collected most of his 20 possessions up the ground and did not kick a goal. It was only his third goalless game of the year. The previous times he responded with bags of seven and four.

Bickley said the Swans' forward line is "one-dimensional". Franklin, a three-time Coleman medal winner, has kicked 76 this year with Isaac Heeney the next best on 26, whereas Adelaide's five main forwards – Eddie Betts, Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins, Tom Lynch and Mitch McGovern – have all booted 30 or more.

"It's a bit of stop Buddy, stop them. He'd need to kick a minimum of four, Adelaide are different," Bickley said.

"They have a few more facets to their forward line, which has put them in good stead all year."

Franklin announced himself on the big stage in his first final in 2007 when, as a 20-year-old, he kicked seven to sink Adelaide, including the match-winner with seconds left.

"You can hold him for most of the day and he can still get four but if he gets off the chain and has a big one he can kick seven and Adelaide know that only too well," Bickley said.

"They've been on the end of a Buddy Franklin whipping before."