Listed inside are his goals for the year, a list of personal ambitions that look a little different this time around for the 24-year-old Brumbies lock heading into a new Super Rugby Pacific season.

Because Swain has established himself as a mainstay in coach Dan McKellar's squad and forced his way into the Test arena under Dave Rennie following a breakout 2021 campaign.

Brumbies assistant coach Laurie Fisher says Swain "came out of the blue" to earn a Wallabies cap, but he "did some excellent things and knows he's got a lot to work on".

Now Swain's challenge is finding a way to take his game to another level with the Brumbies now one month out from their season opener against the Western Force in Perth.

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"I thought of all the things I wrote down in a notepad at the start of them, I did a few of them, a couple that I really wanted to knock off," Swain said.

"There's a couple that I can carry across and there's a couple more I can write down. It is nice, reflecting on the year that has gone.

"It's just trying to one better it. I'm only happy with myself if I get better. I use preseason to get better and this season will be another challenge onto it."

Swain's path back to a Wallabies jersey begins at Brumbies training, where he and his teammates traded the searing Canberra sun for a heavy downpour on Tuesday.

But the Brumbies made the most of the torrential rain as the preseason program ramps up ahead of a clash the NSW Waratahs in a trial match on January 29 in Bowral.

Swain and Cadeyrn Neville will headline the Brumbies' lock stocks heading into a new season with Nick Frost and Tom Hooper nipping at their heels.

"I thought I was the guy a couple of years ago to try and do that to Muz [Murray Douglas, Rory [Arnold], Blake [Enever] and those guys. Now it's the other way around," Swain said.

"I still want to try to challenge Nev and those guys, because they are freaks in the gym and on the field as well. There's a couple of areas I can write down for myself and improve on in 2022.

"Trying to lead that lineout maul area, as we did last year with the other locks, Frosty, Hoops, Nev. We've got four quality locks here who can all call, we can all maul, so I think it's more just trying to fend those dudes off and fight for a spot because it's going to be competitive. Hoops is looking bloody lean and looking big and strong.

"It'll be a challenge again."

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