Lance Franklin is in ominous form, Kurt Tippett has had one of his best pre-seasons yet, Sam Reid is finally fully fit, and Plugger is even back in town.
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Version 2017 of the Sydney Swans, which rolls out against Port Adelaide on Saturday for round one, will be spearheaded by one of the most dominant forward lines in the league this season, complementing arguably the game's strongest midfield and a defence that conceded less points than any other last season.
Icing the cake is the return of the league's all-time greatest goal kicker Tony Lockett, who will work with Sydney's forwards in a mentoring capacity this season.
Forward firepower let the Swans down in the 2016 grand final loss to the Western Bulldogs, their second failure at the final hurdle in the past three seasons.
Franklin injured his ankle in the first quarter against the Bulldogs and was well below his influential best. Tippett was still nursing a fractured jaw suffered three weeks earlier, while Reid didn't even play.
Coach John Longmire must feel like he has a brand new forward line at his disposal, and he's gone tall for the Power clash naming Franklin, Tippett and Reid in the front six.
Tippett won't park himself up there for the entire game – he'll still be required to perform his share of ruck duties although the emergence of 206 centimetre ruckman Sam Naismith last season will give the former ample time in his customary resting role up forward.
Crucially he comes into 2017 healthy, like he did 12 months ago when he was in All Australian form before a serious hamstring injury curtailed the back half of his year.
"He's had a really good pre-season, he's done every session. We've seen what he can do last year in the first half of the year, his impact as a ruckman who can kick goals as a forward," Longmire told Fairfax Media.
"He was top three in our best and fairest the first half of the year and then you could arguably say he was one of the better ruckman in the competition.
"You tear the hamstring tendon and had to have an operation, it's a pretty significant injury. He then came back on the death knock of the finals and then suffered a broken jaw in two places.
"The timing of his injury last year coincided a little bit with Naismith coming on as well. You need quality ruckmen on your list."
Tippett has shown glimpses of his best through the pre-season, and his final hitout against St Kilda was his finest since tearing his hamstring in round 12 last year.
Franklin has also been his usual dominant self in the two pre-season games he has played, showing no ill effects of the shoulder surgery he underwent during the off-season.
He kicked a pair of goals in wins over GWS and the Saints, and laid off several more. More telling though has been his willingness to roam up the ground and collect the ball in midfield or on a wing before launching an attack into the forward line.
Entering his fourth year as a Swan and his 13th in the AFL overall, Franklin is showing no signs of slowing down.
"He wants to win and that's always a handy trait to have," Longmire said.
"From that aspect he's been really good for us. He's clearly got top-end talent but his competitiveness really stands out to us as coaches, just how much he likes to win, no matter what he does, whether it's football, it's any drill that we do, it's table tennis, it's anything.
"That's something that you appreciated from far away but when you see him close up, you do get an understanding of how much he just loves to compete."
The biggest change at the Swans since the grand final has been Josh Kennedy's inauguration as captain, in place of Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack.
The fact Kennedy is the successor is certainly no shock, although the switch came earlier than most had anticipated.
"It was pretty clear he had great leadership qualities, he was in our leadership group, he was a consistent performer," Longmire said.
"We're fortunate that we've got a number of players who we think are strong leaders at this footy club. He was always one that you were confident in him playing a pretty big part on and off the field and he's been fantastic so far.
"He really loved the opportunity, he's getting new experiences and it's come at a good time for him just to be able to keep challenging himself. He's certainly taken to it really well."
The injured McVeigh and Jack remain in the leadership group which Longmire said would only strengthen the club.
"It's a real benefit to have two ex-captains in the leadership group who can help see through your eyes as a captain," Longmire said.
"There's not too many times you can draw upon people who have been in those positions you've been in and he's got two in the leadership group that can help him.
"I see that as only a positive for him. He'll still do it his own way and that's what Macca and Kieren will encourage him to do, but they're still there if he needs them."
SYDNEY SWANS
Coach: John Longmire
Captain: Josh Kennedy
Last five years:
2016 - Runner-up
2015 - Finished 4th, lost 2nd week finals
2014 - Runner-up
2013 - Finished 4th, lost prelim final
2012 - Premiers
Flag potential: Extremely high - Beaten favourites in the grand final last season, and the core of that team is still at the club. Several of the Swans' stars were carrying injuries through that finals series, with Lance Franklin, Luke Parker, Kurt Tippett and Callum Mills all lacking fitness in the decider. More than capable of going one better this season.
Key three:
Lance Franklin - Still the most destructive player in the game and almost impossible to contain when he's on his game. His booming left foot is capable from 65m out from any angle, and he's just as adept in spotting up his teammates. Throw in that trademark physicality, and 'Buddy' is still one hell of a player.
Luke Parker - You'd be hard-pressed finding a more courageous AFL player than the hard-nosed Swans midfielder. He was a deserved runner-up in the Brownlow Medal last season to Patrick Dangerfield and looks set for another big year after offseason knee surgery.
Josh Kennedy - The newly promoted captain who remains one of the most prolific ball winners in the league. His second quarter in last year's grand final was one of the finest terms of football you're likely to see from an individual, with Kennedy almost single-handedly keeping the Swans in the game.
Wildcard: Isaac Heeney. The blonde-haired 20-year-old should enjoy more time in the middle this season after a stellar 2016 which was just his second in the league. One of the strongest pound-for-pound players in the league who has the courage to match his silky skills with hand and foot. He's out indefinitely with glandular fever, but will give opposition coaches plenty of headaches once he makes it back on the field.
One to watch: Kurt Tippett. His first half of last season was vintage Tippett before a hamstring injury cost him 10 weeks and a broken jaw severely hampered his finals series. One of the highest paid players at the club, and he'll be determined to string together a full season of his best football.
Ins: Darcy Cameron (Claremont WAFL), Shaun Edwards (Essendon), Sam Fisher (Canberra Demons), Oliver Florent (Sandringham U18), Jordan Foote (University of NSW), Robbie Fox (Coburg VFL), Will Hayward (North Adelaide SANFL), Jack Malbaum (Eastern U18), Toby Pink (Glenelg SANFL), Ben Ronke (Calder U18).
Outs: Abe Davis (delisted), Tom Derickx (retired), Kyle Galloway (delisted), Jack Hiscox (delisted), Ben McGlynn (retired), Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn), Toby Nankervis (Richmond), Ted Richards (retired), Xavier Richards (delisted).
Best lineup:
B: Nick Smith, Heath Grundy, Dane Rampe
HB: Callum Mills, Aliir Aliir, Jake Lloyd
C: Zak Jones, Dan Hannebery, Isaac Heeney
HF: George Hewett, Sam Reid, Lance Franklin
F: Tom Papley, Kurt Tippett, Kieren Jack
R: Sam Naismith, Luke Parker, Josh Kennedy
I: Daniel Robinson, Gary Rohan, Jarrad McVeigh, Callum Sinclair
Predicted finish: 2nd
Betting (Sportsbet)
To win the flag: $8
To make the top eight: $1.22
Draw
Round 1 Saturday, March 25 v Port Adelaide at SCG, 4.35pm
Round 2 Friday, March 31 v Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium, 7.50pm
Round 3 Friday, April 7 v Collingwood at SCG, 7.50pm
Round 4 Thursday, April 13 v West Coast Eagles at Domain Stadium, 6.10pm
Round 5 Saturday, April 22 v GWS Giants at SCG, 7.25pm
Round 6 Saturday, April 29 v Carlton at MCG, 2.10pm
Round 7 Sunday, May 7 v Brisbane Lions at SCG, 1.10pm
Round 8 Sunday, May 14 v North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, 4.40pm
Round 9 Saturday, May 20 v St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, 1.45pm
Round 10 Friday, May 26 v Hawthorn at SCG, 7.50pm
Round 11 Bye
Round 12 Thursday, June 8 v Western Bulldogs at SCG, 7.20pm
Round 13 Saturday, June 17 v Richmond at MCG, 1.45pm
Round 14 Friday, June 23 v Essendon at SCG, 7.50pm
Round 15 Friday, June 30 v Melbourne at MCG, 7.50pm
Round 16 Saturday, July 8 v Gold Coast Suns at SCG, 4.35pm
Round 17 Saturday, July 15 v GWS Giants at Spotless Stadium, 7.25pm
Round 18 Saturday, July 22 v St Kilda at SCG, 7.25pm
Round 19 Friday, July 28 v Hawthorn at MCG, 7.50pm
Round 20 Friday, August 4 v Geelong Cats at Simonds Stadium, 7.50pm
Round 21 Saturday, August 12 v Fremantle at SCG, 1.45pm
Round 22 Friday, August 18 v Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm
Round 23 TBC v Carlton at SCG, TBC
- with AAP
