When dark clouds settled over the SCG an hour before the first bounce on Saturday, a tough, dour contest in wet conditions was on the cards and must have had Hawthorn's experienced onball brigade licking their lips.

For much of the first half, the match looked like playing out their way, as the Hawks led the contested possession count by 18 at half-time, with the mature midfield bodies of Jaeger O'Meara, Tom Mitchell, James Worpel and Liam Shiels often getting first hands on the footy.

Then the puddles were topped up by more heavy showers as both sides ran out to start the second half.

But it was the young Swans midfield, led admirably by Luke Parker, that was able to respond better in the clinches and adapt to the slippery conditions, as Sydney won the second-half contested-ball count by six and turned the game around.

One of the Swans midfielders to stand up, especially in the tense final quarter, was Oliver Florent.

The 22-year-old ended the game with 20 touches, 10 of them contested possessions. But it was in the final quarter that he had the biggest impact, picking up nine disposals with six of them contested, and regularly putting his body on the line to help repeal a late Hawthorn surge.

The smooth mover is now spending more time in the midfield, and is relishing the opportunity to play in his preferred position.

"I played some midfield minutes late last year, and I think I play my best footy through there. I'm getting comfortable in there now," Florent told AFL.com.au.

"I'm working really closely with Jarrad McVeigh, he's a huge help for me. Dean Cox as well. Those two guys give me the information and feedback I need each week."

Florent has had some other useful teachers, with one of the best contested-ball winners of the past decade in Josh Kennedy and Luke Parker also offering guidance and advice.

"They're really crucial to our team. [Kennedy's] contribution on the field and off the field is unbelievable. Luke Parker too," Florent said.

"Playing with those two guys is pretty special, and they really push us young guys to the next level. I try to learn as much off them as I can."

Florent has identified finding the right balance between offering outside run and winning inside ball as the next step in his development.

"It's a tough one. That's something that I need to learn, and those guys I mentioned before have been really good at helping me out," he added.

Florent has been in career-best form this season, which is his fourth at the top level.

The 185cm speedster is averaging more than 18 touches a game, just one possession below his most-prolific year of 2019, despite the shortened quarters this season.

He is also averaging a career-high 3.6 clearances a game, including seven clearances and a career-high five centre clearances against Essendon in round two.

Perhaps most importantly for the Swans, the young playmaker is getting a lot of those touches in the right half of the ground. No player has sent the ball into their forward 50 more this season, with Florent's 35 inside 50s the equal most in the League along with Port Adelaide's Travis Boak.

"Every year I want to build on my game. Take things out of last year and try and improve them," Florent said.

"Playing a bit more midfield time is helping with that transition."

Sydney fans have reason to look forward to the next few years, with a young core of talented players coming through and being given more responsibility than probably would be the case without the Swans long injury list.

Florent, the Swans first pick at No.11 in the 2016 AFL Draft, is happy to be one of the players leading the changing of the guard, and is inspired by what he saw some of the older Swans do and achieve.

"It's super exciting. Just to see the older blokes who were in our position, they were all young together and came through the ranks and found all of their success together," the Sandringham Dragons product said.

"I'm really excited to see the future, and hopefully we're heading the right direction."

For now, the Swans and Florent are looking forward to the clash against St Kilda at the Gabba on Saturday.

The match will be the first time the two teams have played each other in a Pride Game outside of Sydney or Melbourne, but Florent said it will still be "a special event" and that "it's great to be able to wear the pride socks."