OUTGOING Western Bulldog Andrejs Everitt says he hopes to secure a role running off the half back flank next year after agreeing to an in-principle contract with the Sydney Swans.

The 21-year-old, who is in Hong Kong on holiday with the Dogs, says a trip to Sydney last week convinced him to push for a trade to the club, which will be coached by John Longmire in 2011. 

"What really attracted me was just the lifestyle up there and also the coaching staff and the support staff," he told afl.com.au's Trade Week radio.

"They're real friendly and they're quite nice, and they're pretty young also, which is good.

"It's a young developing list, well not young, but they've got a lot of middle aged players like myself, which is going to help my football a lot.

"Probably on the half back flank will be my role for the start of the season anyway."

Everitt also said the Swans' longevity as a competitive side contributed to his decision to agree to the trade.

"You want to be playing finals and obviously they don't tend to drop off a lot throughout the year," he said.

"They've always been around the mark and hopefully I can add to their team and we can go one step further.

"It's very exciting, obviously. I'm sort of trying to soak it all up and tell the boys once I get down to the lobby and see what the reaction is from there."

Everitt has agreed to terms on a contract that his manager Ricky Nixon said was a multi-year deal.

The Bulldogs will pick up Swan Patrick Veszpremi and a late draft pick as part of the exchange.

Everitt said he would share the news with his travelling former teammates when they woke up.