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'.
3. Max King
The Swans have a couple of young key forwards in Logan McDonald and Hayden McLean, yet no team in the AFL is saying no to a player with the potential of Max King, or his brother Ben for that matter. King's chief strength is his athleticism and presence in the air, and on any given day he has a bag of goals in him.
With Buddy Franklin and Sam Reid ageing or succumbing to injury more often, the need for an aerial presence to help take the pressure off McDonald is crucial. While still young (22), King last year kicked 52 majors, having more than 90 shots at goal. Yes, his accuracy issues are a worry but a club like Sydney would have no qualms with poaching him and backing their coaching and development to correct them.
King's average of 2.4 goals and 5.2 marks a game in 2022 are bordering on elite and it's easy to imagine those numbers would improve drastically with the Swans' pinpoint delivery inside forward 50. With youth on their side, King and McDonald could combine to become one of the league's most devastating key forward duos.
See Also: If every AFL team could steal one player - Hawthorn
No club in the competition would decline the chance to poach King and a link-up with the Swans could be a match made in heaven. While Sydney would benefit from his aerial presence, having McDonald et al alongside him would likely see King excel without multiple defenders hanging off him or blocking his run at the ball, something he has to endure at the Saints each week.
