A change is on the cards for Ben McGlynn, who has been swapped from the forward group into the midfield group this pre-season.

While the 28-year-old still expects to spend time on the half forward line in 2014, McGlynn will train under a new line coach and with a different group of team mates during the pre-season with the view of him rotating through both areas next year.

The move is a welcome change for McGlynn, who has been pushing hard for more time in the middle since he joined the club four seasons ago.

“I’ve been pushed from Henry Playfair’s group this pre-season into Stuey Dew’s group and I’ve been training with the mids and obviously getting to know all of the structures around the stoppages and around the ground,” McGlynn told sydneyswans.com.au

“When you get out on the ground you train within your group and I know all the forward structures and patterns, so it’s going to be good to be in the midfield full-time this pre-season and not in and out of the group as it’s been before.

“I think the move is about being able to play through the middle to allow guys like Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh, Dan Hannebery and the guys who are two-way runners to have a breather.

“I’ll be coming into hold up the slack while they’re resting forward but I’m really excited about spending more time in the middle and it’s the first time I’ve trained outside of the forward group.”

McGlynn has already demonstrated that he’s on the right track to make an impact next season, following an impressive showing in the 3km time trial.

Spurred on by his end of season review with the coaching staff, who urged him to make his pre-season count, McGlynn pushed himself to the limit in the run and broke away from the main group late in the second lap.

Despite being caught by the club’s leading runners including midfielders Dan Hannebery, Craig Bird and rookie Lloyd Perris in the dying moments, McGlynn said he was happy he put up a good fight against the Swans’ best athletes.

“A lot of things go through your mind when you’re running a three k-er,” he said.

“Our first lap was a lot slower than usual and the coaches in my review at the end of the year last season wanted me to make a statement and for me to come back and push myself a little bit more and go to the next level with my game and my fitness.

“So when it came to the second lap I took it to them but a few of the boys had a lot of tickets left in the end and overtook me in the last 20 metres.

“I was a little bit off my PB, so I guess if we had have run the first lap a little quicker it might have been a better time but I was pretty happy with my effort.”

McGlynn is not the only Swan who has returned to the club in great shape this pre-season, with new recruit Lance Franklin impressing his team mates on the track.

McGlynn, who played alongside Franklin at his former club Hawthorn, said there was no doubt Buddy’s inclusion was a major coup for the club.

“It’s going to be exciting, especially with Tippett coming in last year and his impact, and there is no doubt that the way Buddy presented himself over the last couple of weeks has been terrific,” he said.

“He’s going to have a fair impact on this group, so I’m looking forward to it.

“It was always reassuring to be walking out with Buddy beside you at Hawthorn, so I’m certain it will be the same here.”