Derickx played two senior games in three seasons with Richmond after being taken as a mature-aged ruckman with pick 63 in the 2010 AFL Draft
Swans coach John Longmire said he was pleased to have Tom on board to bolster the club's ruck stocks.
"With Shane Mumford moving on, it was certainly important we added another mature bodied ruckman to our list," Longmire said.
"With the addition of Tom, we feel we now have a number of options to work in the ruck with Mike Pyke, Kurt Tippett, Sam Naismith and our new international recruit Patrick Mitchell."
With Mumford moving on, Derickx told sydneyswans.com.au he hoped he could add physicality to the Swans’ ruck line up.
“I hope I can come in as a replacement for Mumford and to bring those second efforts,” he said.
“My aggression and competitiveness was what (the Swans) liked about me and why I think they signed me up.”
Derickx, who was away on a surfing trip with his brothers when he learned of the Swans' interest, said he was looking forward to making the trip across to Sydney to ply his trade at the Swans.
“My manager spoke to Sydney a few times and they said to be ready to fly out at any time to meet up, and then I got the call to come over to meet with John and Kinnear, and then I had a medical, and that was it,” he said.
“It was a bit of a whirlwind really.
“Just when you look at the Swans it’s like they are in a league of their own culture-wise and they just look like a good bunch of blokes.
“It’s been really inviting to come up and play with them."
After an injury-riddled first season in the league, the 25-year-old former carpenter from Dunsborough, Western Australia, via the Claremont Football Club, made his league debut for the Tigers in round 15, 2012.
Derickx played 17 games for Richmond's VFL-affiliate club Coburg in 2013, including a standout 60-hit-out match against North Ballarat in round 19.
Tom Derickx fact file:
Born: December 7, 1987
Height: 201cm
Weight: 100kg
Position: Ruckman
Junior Clubs: Dunsborough and Augusta-Margaret River Hawks (WA), Claremont (WAFL)
Previous AFL Club: Richmond (2011-13, 2 games)
Debut: Round 15, 2012 (Richmond v Melbourne)
