When Sydney finalised its new-look leadership team in December, nobody was more surprised by Tom Papley's elevation into the eight-man group than the man himself.

Luke Parker and Dane Rampe joining Josh Kennedy as co-captains of the Swans was the day's biggest news, but Papley and fellow youngsters Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills were also voted in by their teammates alongside experienced veterans Jarrad McVeigh and Nick Smith.

Heeney, 22, and Mills, 21, have been earmarked as future leaders from the moment they walked into the club as highly-rated draft picks from the club's academy system, but Papley, 22, had to carve out a career from the rookie list.

Papley, the grandson of two former South Melbourne players who has kicked 83 goals from 60 games in his three years at the Swans and become an integral part of the forward line, told AFL.com.au he didn't quite believe the news when coach John Longmire told him he was now an official leader.

"It was a massive surprise, I didn't really think I was even on the verge of making it into the leadership group," he said.

"For my peers to vote me in shows they think highly of me, and that’s really special.

"I've really worked on my training standards over the last couple of years to earn the respect of the group."

The leadership position won't be the only new role for Papley in 2019, with the small forward set to spend more time in the midfield after a faultless summer, something of a rarity after spending most of his first three pre-seasons in the rehabilitation group.

Now rid of his injury worries, Papley has been working with the onballers over the past couple of months and has been impressive in match simulation drills.

He said getting outside the forward 50 more often was something he was working hard to achieve.

"That's the plan," he said.

"Having never done a pre-season before, I could never get my fitness levels high enough to keep up with the midfielders, but I'm hoping to spend more time in there and give the team a different look this year.

"I played though there at times last year, but I'd like to do more of it this year, but that all depends on what personnel we've got in there and what the coaches want."

Papley and Mills, along with off-season North Melbourne recruit Ryan Clarke, will give the Swans some new faces in the midfield this year after the departure of Dan Hannebery to St Kilda and Nic Newman to Carlton.

Papley's speed and ferocious attack on the footy and opposition have made him a valuable forward, and he see those traits as his best weapons when he transitions into the midfield, but he knows he has to ask plenty of questions to get the most out of star teammates such as Kennedy, Parker, Heeney, and former onballer Kieren Jack.

"I'm a different body type to the rest of the guys we've got in there at the moment, so I'm watching a lot of vision," he said.

"When 'Kizza' (Jack) gets back from his injury I'll be working closely with him to go through body positioning and things like that.

"Having 'Joey' and 'Parkesy' and 'Heens' is good for me too, because they're the bigger bodies I need to learn how to deal with.

"They're guns of the AFL, so having them there to help me is pretty special, and the more I'm a sponge the better I'll get.

"I need to work out how to best use my strengths against those bigger guys.

"My strengths will be when the ball hits the ground. I'm there to hunt the opposition around the scramble and tackle and put pressure on."