Sydney Swans experienced off-season recruits Lewis Taylor, Sam Gray and Kaiden Brand have had an immediate impact upon the playing group.
Taylor joined the Swans during the trade period with Gray and Brand arriving in the red and white as delisted free agents.
Coach John Longmire has praised all three for what they have shown on the training track prior to the Christmas break.
“Those three that we have got from other clubs we are really confident that they can contribute to our team,” Longmire said in a wide-ranging interview with SwansTV.
Taylor kicked 88 goals across 112 games for the Brisbane Lions playing as a small forward who had the ability to push up into the midfield.
That is a role that Longmire expects to see the 2014 Rising Star winner playing in 2020 for the Swans.
“Lewis Taylor we have seen him do all the training before Christmas and he is a smart footballer,” Longmire said.
“He knows what he is doing with ball in hand and he is going to be very beneficial from that regard.
“He uses the ball well and understands where to run.”
Gray is also expected to add an important element of pressure to the Swans forward half next season after 96 games with Port Adelaide.
“Sam Gray is another genuine footballer, you notice his ability to put pressure on in the front half,” Longmire said.
“We need to make sure we get our repeats up a lot more, particularly in that front half and he is able to put pressure on.”
“He also makes good decisions with ball in hand.”
The voice and training of Brand ahead of the holiday break has also impressed the coach as the delisted Hawk looks to relaunch his career in the red and white.
“Kaiden Brand has been wonderful down back and has fitted in really well,” he said.
“He has had a wonderful pre-Christmas period and has been very confident with his voice but also what he is doing so the other players have really noticed that.”
Sydney Swans full playing squad returns to training on Friday, January 10.