Werribee star Riley Bice's strong end to a maiden season with the Tigers sealed Sydney's plans to pick the speedy defender on Thursday night, with the Swans "really keen" to select the mature-aged talent with their third pick of the draft.
The 24-year-old was a pivotal piece in Werribee's premiership season, earning VFL Team of the Year honours after averaging 21.1 disposals, 6.9 marks and 4.8 intercepts per game.
His stellar year with the 'Bees, which followed a carer at Albury and a stint with the Tiwi Bombers, quickly caught Sydney's attention, with the New South Wales side pulling the trigger on Bice with Pick 41.
A "story of persistence", Bice is "an AFL player in his own right" in Sydney's eyes, offering run, clean kicking and maturity as a defender.
"He was one we looked at throughout the year. He probably wasn't there in the mid-season, but the back half of the year was really strong," Swans recruiter Chris Keane said.
"Obviously an Aubury boy, he's a story of persistence and the different pathways and ways you can get onto a list.
"We think he's an AFL player in his own right. He's got great AFL attributes that we really like.
"He's got some significant speed off half-back, sees the game quite well, has a really nice left foot, can change angles and we think he's a really good complement to what we've got back there."
While some recruiters might've kept tabs on Bice's rise with Albury in the Ovens and Murray League, the Swans saw enough from his VFL form to express an interest.
He had a strong opening to his season with the Tigers, but it was his second half of the year that made the Swans grow fonder.
"We've got scouts all over the country, so we're looking wherever we can to find some talent," Keane said.
"From Riley's perspective, we saw his foot with Werribee and really tracked him closely towards the back half of the year.
"His footy was excellent. We were really keen for him to get to that pick and were really excited that he did."
Given his arrival as a player who has featured at the senior level for some time, Bice is right in the mix for a debut early into his first season with the Bloods.
Keane believes he has "every chance" to have an impact at AFL level in 2025, knowing his determination to make his mark.
"You don't put any limitations on that type of player," Keane added.
"Obviously he's a more mature age player, so he understands, from a football sense, the game a bit more than your typical 18-year-old. That's probably due to the fact that the game the 18-year-old kids are playing is quite different to what we see with some of the rules.
"He's a VFL player and has played in that sort of system for a while. So he's every chance (for an early debut).
"We've got a pretty strong team, so whether he has to bide his time or not we'll wait and see, but he'll give himself every chance."
The Swans also recruited Jesse Dattoli, Ned Bowman, Riak Andrew, Blake Leidler and ex-Saint Ben Paton via this week's draft window.