Building a trust within the playing group has been the most important factor in the Swans resurgence this season according to defender Nick Smith.

After losing six games in a row to start the season the Swans have had a remarkable turnaround in form winning nine of their past ten matches.

Smith said he was confident his side was back on the right path as they prepare to take on St Kilda at the SCG on Saturday night.

“It is a bit of a cliché but it was about getting back to basics,” Smith said.

“We had a few guys doing their own thing the first six rounds and not on the same page but I feel like our setups are now a lot better.

“There is a lot more trust in the group.”

The 29-year-old defender is confident that his side can maintain the momentum they have built over the last couple of months.

“We are building from the start of the year,” Smith said.

“The competition is so even so we just have to keep playing well because if we don’t play well then we won’t make the finals at all.

“We just have to keep putting our best foot forward.”

Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery and Kieren Jack are just a handful of Swans who have turned their performances around in recent weeks after disappointing starts to the season.

Smith said the improvement in a number of the club’s senior leaders was the driver behind a return to the top eight.

“When you have your best players playing well it goes a long way to helping us win footy games,” Smith said.

“It was a combination of poor form and missing players at the start of the year.”