The Swans were one of the stories of 2022, yet when it came to the biggest game of the year, they had nothing left in the tank. Unfortunately for them, the recent trend for teams who lose heavily in the Grand Final is not promising for their chances in season 2023.
Yet with a deep squad, an exciting blend of youth and experience and arguably the best club culture in the AFL, there's no doubting they'll be back at some stage soon, if not this season.
But the question being posed now by the brains trust at the Swans will surely be; where can we improve? A club that prides itself not only on their much-vaunted culture, but on their extraordinary ability to find value in the market via trade and free agency acquisitions.
Examples of shrewd recruiting can be found in their history going back at least two decades. Look no further than Paddy McCartin, thought to be lost to AFL football, he has a new lease on life and is playing excellent football for the 'Bloods'.
Yet for all their efforts, the work is never done and the Sydney hierarchy will know this, just as they know bouncing back from a heavy defeat on the last Saturday in September is a massive challenge.
Right now they'll be asking themselves where are their deficiencies and what should they be looking for to ensure they don't sacrifice everything to remain a genuine top-four contender for the coming seasons.
Ideally, as with most clubs, a key forward, a versatile ruck, a key defender and an elite wingman would be on the wish list. Yet the reasoning and thinking at Sydney is a bit different to most and they have frequently found alternative avenues to success.
See Also: If every AFL team could steal one player: Port Adelaide
With all of that in mind, we take a look at four prospects we believe could slot straight into this Sydney side with no strings attached.
Here are four options the Swans could 'steal'.
2. Hugh McCluggage
As arguably the game's best wingman, Hugh McCluggage fits the ball for the Swans' current needs. Taking into consideration that he has much more to his game than just being an outside player, McCluggage could easily become a gun onballer given the opportunity, and at a club like the Swans, he would only excel.
He was incredibly stiff to miss an All-Australian selection in 2022, despite having a dominant season on the wing for the Lions. Averaging 24.7 disposals, 0.8 goals, 4.8 tackles, and 4.4 inside 50's per game, he elevated himself to a new level and cemented his status as an elite midfielder.
The Swans have a great blend of young midfielders to complement the likes of Luke Parker, Callum Mills and Isaac Heeney. While Chad Warner announced himself as a star of the competition in 2022, adding a player of the calibre of McCluggage would ease the pressure on him as one of the Swans' chief distributors by foot going inside 50.
While there are still great things expected of exciting youngsters Errol Gulden and Justin McInerney, an already-established star like McCluggage coming in would allow both breathing room to develop and afford the Swans the ability to cover for inconsistent performances from their still-developing fledglings.
