Preseason campaigns, albeit brutal and uncompromising, can breed opportunity.

This period offers players a fresh start, a chance to hit the ground running (literally), improve on deficiencies, build on strengths and take the next step.

For the Swans’ younger crop, preseason is just around the corner and opportunities are aplenty with the departure of some experienced heads since the final match of 2015.

The retirements of Adam Goodes, Rhyce Shaw and Mike Pyke plus the parting of Lewis Jetta and Craig Bird sees the loss of 983 games of experience and shaves a few years off the median age of the playing group as well.

Instead of lament the loss of five of his premiership players, Swans coach John Longmire is embracing the challenge and is looking forward to seeing who puts their hand up when the first to fourth-year players return on Monday.

“We expect our younger players to be really excited by some of the opportunities that present themselves,” he said.

“There is a lot of football has gone out of our club so there are a lot of opportunities for some of those kids.

“Those kids who have been knocking on the door with a really strong pre-season may be able to cement their spot in the line-up.”

The first to fourth-year group, which will include new recruits Michael Talia and Callum Sinclair, have a 3km time trial to endure on Monday plus a full week on the training track before the more seasoned players report for duty.

While next week marks the official start of preseason, players have already been hard at work in their own time during the break to stay one step ahead on the long road back to full match fitness.

Longmire said the importance of staying in peak physical condition during the off-season was vitally important, mainly so skills can be sharpened and game structures fine-tuned.

“They really only train for a couple of weeks leading up to the Christmas break so we rely upon the whole playing group to come back in really good condition,” he said.

“You need to start that first week of training in December in the best possible shape because you really only have a short time.

“Generally they come back in really good condition so you don’t have too many concerns about getting them fit and then you can get into your game plan stuff straight away.”

The remainder of the senior playing list will return on December 1.