The 2026 season has been a mostly difficult one for the Swans and first-year head coach Dean Cox.
For just the fourth time in the past 23 seasons, dating back to Paul Roos' first full season at the helm in 2003, Sydney will be absent when the finals kick off.
So comments from Essendon great Matthew Lloyd about the Swans on Channel Nine's Sunday Footy Show came as a fair old shock.
The former full forward believes the Swans could be flag favourites next season, provided they achieve one key recruiting target.
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Dating back to Tony Lockett in the 1990s, through Barry Hall, Kurt Tippett and Buddy Franklin, the Swans have managed to nab a high-priced key forward to ignite the Sydney market and keep the club competitive.
It's an area that's been sorely lacking since Franklin's retirement in 2023 and if they can land another big fish, Lloyd believes the Swans will be right back in premiership calculations.
He also has a name in mind and it's not the Bulldogs' troubled spearhead, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.
"Damo (Damien Barrett) touched on (Hawthorn forward) Mitch Lewis a few weeks ago. It was the first time I'd heard his name raised potentially linked to the Swans," Lloyd said.
"They need to land a decent key forward. I'm not talking Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, I'm not interested in that, they need a genuine player like a Lewis.
"I don't think it's Logan McDoanld coming back. It's not Joel Amartey. It's not Hayden McLean.
"If they can land that big key forward that can stand up, well then they could be premiership favourites next year."
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The 199cm Lewis has kicked 129 goals in 74 games since his debut with the Hawks back in 2018.
He has played in the last four matches for Hawthorn after overcoming a ruptured ACL, kicking four goals to date.
After a wretched first half of the season, the Swans are 7-2 in their last nine matches, coinciding with the return of key players, including Errol Gulden, Callum Mills and Tom Papley.
Now sitting 10th with an 11-10 record, the Swans close out the season against Geelong and West Coast. Lloyd has liked what he's seen of late, capped by Saturday's upset win over the Lions in Brisbane.
"I've loved their last six or seven weeks since they've got their players back," he added.
"They were all over the shop as a team defence. They couldn't defend the ground. That's helped as well since Callum Mills and a few others have been back."