The emergence of quality young talent in recent seasons has skipper Josh Kennedy eager to see who else the Sydney Swans can unearth in 2017.

Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills, as a prime example, have been billed league wide as future stars and much of the pre-season whispers circling last year’s minor premiers is that a likely midfield move will be on the cards for the QBE Sydney Swans Academy graduates.

Heeney, who’s kicked 44 goals from his 38 games a half-forward, spent a lot of time on the wing last season with great effect and is touted as the man to replace Tom Mitchell who flew the coup to Hawthorn during the off-season.

Mills earned both the Club’s and AFL’s rising star awards after a standout debut season across half-back. It’s only a matter of time, many say, until the home-grown product pushes his 188cm frame into the Swans’ midfield rotation.

They’re just two of the Swans’ fledgling talents propping up a list which only three ago was teetering on being the competition’s oldest. Now, it’s the fourth youngest and it’s the rapid development of Heeney, Mills, Tom Papley, George Hewett, Zak Jones, Aliir Aliir and alike which is adding more than just depth.

The new year brings a new crop, and Kennedy is excited for who can spread their wings during the JLT Community Series and the regular season.

“It was a real feature of our team last year, we debuted seven players throughout the course of the year which was fantastic,” Kennedy told RSN on Thursday.

“We’re one of the youngest teams, list-wide, in the comp so in regards to that it’s really exciting. It’s exciting for myself, it’s exciting for the Club and for the fans as well.

“We’re really looking forward to seeing these guys develop, seeing them become better players and better people. Hopefully we can nurture that and have another crack at (the premiership).”

On Heeney and Mills’ potential move to the midfield, Kennedy would like to see their talents spread right across the field.

“They’ve shown in those first two years they can be extremely valuable to us in (their existing) roles,” he said.

“In won’t be all midfield but that’ll certainly be an element, to get them in the midfield to give us a bit of run, carry and youth in there.”

The Sydney Swans’ success in blooding youth while remaining competitive and at the top of the table has a lot to do with, according to Kennedy, the renowned culture the senior players seem to showcase through their actions on and off the field.

They’re able to effectively implant those values into the newcomers and the newcomers in-turn seem to buy into the culture efficiently enough as to not let anything stand in their way to earning an opportunity.

Those standards, says Kennedy, are set at the top and are felt right through the football club.

“You become the product of your environment,” he added.

“It’s really conducive of the team aspect. A lot of guys from interstate move to Sydney not knowing anyone, you certainly become a lot closer to the teammates and people around the Club. It certainly has an effect on the culture of the place.

“It’s reflected from the board down, they care really strongly about the culture end how we’re perceive. They exude it just as much as any of us players as well.”