Sydney Swans coach Dean Cox says the first three rounds have proven the Swans are good enough to beat anyone when they play at their best, even if it took until a thriller on Sunday for the new coach to get his maiden win. 

The Swans were gritty against Fremantle in a tense armwrestle at Optus Stadium, winning by three points after key forward Joel Amartey slotted a late goal to help the team avoid a 0-3 start. 

Cox said he would have loved a win to start the season instead of early losses to Hawthorn and Brisbane, but the team's football was stacking up as the beaten 2024 grand finalists head into a bye. 

"I think it's proven that when we play our best, we're good enough to beat anyone," Cox said on Sunday night. 

"We've still got areas that we need to continually work on, and there's going to be things that'll take time.

"(But) we get a bye now. We get a chance to reset and we also get a chance to look at our game and how's that stacking up. 

"You get three weeks in to go, 'Are we doing things right? Do we need to change anything?' And we've got a bit of time to do it, so that's also good."

Cox said he was proud of how the Swans had handled an off-season of change, and Sunday's win in WA – where he played a 290-game career with West Coast – would always be special. 

"For them to experience and to play in a really hostile environment away from home, and to rally the way they did after the start, was very pleasing," the coach said. 

"They're the great wins that you see as a football club, (but) my process wouldn't have changed if we were 0-3 or if we win our first game. 

"I'm just rapt for the players that they get to experience the win, their first one of the season, going into a bye, but knowing there's still a lot of work to be done."

Cox paid tribute to star midfielder Chad Warner, who lifted in the final term with 10 disposals to finish with 26 and 10 inside 50s.  

The 24-year-old grabbed his jumper passionately at the end of the game amid conjecture around where he will play in 2025, and celebrated with Cox, who has a strong relationship with the onballer.  

"I thought his impact in the last quarter was profound," Cox said. 

"He's a passionate person. He's passionate about the footy club. I want to make sure that Chad plays his best footy for this football club, and he enjoys his time while he's here. 

"You want to keep your best players, and Chad's one of those. So that's a process we continually work through."