There is no relationship more important than the one you have with yourself.

When a Grand Final goes wrong, everyone spends the summer asking why. Fortunately, this game moves on quickly, and for the Sydney Swans, motivation is all around. One of the youngest-ever teams to contest a season finale has returned to work hungry and educated. 

A cleansing process of renewal has also taken shape in the form of a welcoming new home. The club’s long-term quest to build a world-class facility has now reached completion, and the final product proudly expresses optimism and confidence. In short, it’s spectacular.

It’s also a far cry from past provisions. 

When the club moved to Sydney, the ‘changeroom’ housed two showers and a wooden bench. The players transported equipment to whichever training venue they were told to attend on any given day. One afternoon, Bernie Evans packed the Sherrins in his boot. During the journey, they went flat, and the first training drill that day consisted of the team running a few km’s to the nearest servo, pumping up the footies, and running back.

In the mid-1980s, training conditions were so dire that assistant coach Craig Davis and newly arrived players Bernard Toohey and David Bolton donned the toolbelts to build a gymnasium themselves. 

Just as the facilities have evolved, so too has this club’s famous culture. And while a fresh crop of players may now drive it, the foundations remain.

English poet John Donne once said, 'no man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.’ In fact, our basic psychological urge is to feel closely connected to others. 

I’ve been fortunate to walk through the Royal Hall of Industries and marvel at the exceptional, expansive new headquarters. Connections through design, through proximity, and through shared purpose will only strengthen the Bloods’ bond.

And, make no mistake, this group is tight. Last week, at the Swans’ annual guernsey presentation, Kieren Jack spoke powerfully of the impressive direction the club is heading.

‘Empty platitudes are quite simply not tolerated here,’ Jack said.

‘For 150 years, this club’s identity has been forged on values like respect, humility, and honesty. At the core of it, it's all been wrapped around an unwavering desire to compete. That blueprint hasn’t changed, and it won’t change.’

‘We continue to have great leadership on and off the field. We’ve got a new headquarters, and I see this club, as an outsider now, as being more united than it ever has been before.’

John Longmire highlighted the incredible career that Josh Kennedy forged through self-driven dedication - a lesson for all young players.

Former player Dean Towers once told me that his favourite time of the year was the day pre-season officially ended, and the entire squad came together for a cruise around the harbour - resolute and focused - sailing towards a common goal.

It’s all part of a culture of continuous improvement, and the uncertainty of an upcoming season creates an energy all of its own.

In 2023, the team will again experience a change of dynamics. How opposition teams view them has shifted. But, as we all know, Longmire and his coaching staff never stand still, and the upcoming season opens up new vistas for change.

Our re-emergence over the past two seasons has been built on a defense that prevents opposition marks and denies scoring from turnovers. McCartin & McCartin impressed as key pillars last year, while Fox, Florent & Blakey all cemented spots, adding speed and dare. 

This season, Braeden Campbell is looking to do the same. Creating scores from interceptions will again prove critical and last season, the Swans’ method produced the most efficient scoring rate per inside fifty entries in the competition. 

When Terry Thripp became the first NSW-born Sydney Swan in 1983, the most eye-catching aspect of his introduction to the big league was the primitive setup he encountered. His memories are of a ‘gym that wouldn’t service the local lawn bowls team’, training on the unloved and pot-holed SCG Number 2 Oval, and running ‘six thousand bloody laps of Centennial Park.’

Now, the Swans’ gym can service an entire men's, women's, and academy program, and an endless shiny stream of club-branded weight plates has already been put to the test. Dylan Stephens spoke recently of how the Swans’ young midfielders, in particular, have focused on maintaining running power, while also adding bulk, to be stronger at the contest.

And, the contest is king. The Swans’ exciting young midfield is looking for further growth this year. Rowbottom, Mills, and Warner feature prominently in the team’s improved ability to transition the ball from inside contests to outside. After a sizzling summer, expect to see more of Errol Gulden in the centre square, with Roberts and Sheldrick also pressing hard.

Each line features a multi-layered approach, and for the forward group, fanatical pressure lays the foundation for dangerous individuals to impact offensively. The Swans get a higher percentage of turnovers in the front half than most teams, and front-half intercepts are crucial in the modern game. It’s a by-product of the club’s trademark that ensures Franklin, Heeney, Papley, Hayward, and Reid are in prime position to capitalise.

Two emerging talls also look set to stake their claim as key pillars of the team. Logan McDonald enters his third year in the system, hoping to develop his key-forward craft further, and many are excited to see what's in store. 

Likewise, Peter Ladhams. While showing promise in the ruck last year, he’ll be looking for greater consistency. All the attributes are there, and building synergy with his midfielders will only enhance his combination with Tom Hickey and, in turn, the overall function of the team.

As my tour of the new facility approached its conclusion, I wandered onto the indoor playing surface, with a group of players practicing set-shot kicking from the 50-metre arc. I watched the first one sail through, and they jumped, high-fived, and cheered. I took that as an omen; may this season make memories as joyous as the last.

Speculation abounds from those not connected. However, being perennially underrated is nothing new for the Swans. With Rampe, Parker, and Mills at the helm, you just know that this team will play with grit, spirit, and togetherness. As the next generation creates new threads of meaning, they will also play with spark. 

They know where they’ve come from. This week, former player Neil Cordy told the story of current players writing letters of gratitude to past Swans greats - thanking them for their critical role in getting the club, and code, to where it now proudly sits. 

It’s hard to articulate the true meaning of the club’s $70 million investment. In terms of connecting past and present, there’s nothing like it. And isn’t that the whole point? This club began to thrive only when Sydney met South. When a rich history was truly embraced and celebrated. Swans HQ does precisely that. 

There is no relationship more important than the one you have with yourself, and the Sydney Swans have never been more self-assured. Let the games begin.