The Sydney Swans were definitely a shock improver last season after an abysmal 2020 where they managed to secure just five victories during the COVID-shortened season.
In 2021 the Bloods went 15-7 and secured a sixth-place finish but ultimately fell short of their own hype, as they were downed by a point during the first week of finals against cross-town rivals GWS.
The immediate aftermath saw the key departures of tagger George Hewett to Carlton and winger/half-back Jordan Dawson to Adelaide. While certainly not ideal, the Swans do have an assortment of youthful talent to take on the added responsibilities in the centre.
However, they will be left quite thin in defence as the likes of Braeden Campbell and Harry Cunningham will cycle out of the back-six.
Sydney does appear to be loaded in the opposite 50 given their combination of size, experience and emerging youth. Whether their forwards manage to co-exist remains to be seen as they've added Peter Ladhams and Paddy McCartin to the mix.
If the Swans are to reach their true potential while continuing to build towards the future with their young nucleus, these burning questions need to be addressed in 2022.
How far will Buddy's goal haul go?
Given his age and recent history of lower-body injuries, Buddy may be playing on borrowed time as he fast approaches 1,000 goals.
It's likely, if fit, that Franklin will reach the milestone in his first couple of games but will he be able to chase down a top-five spot on the all-time goal-kicking list before he calls time on footy.
Buddy is currently 37 majors away from overtaking the legendary Gary Ablett Sr., and given that he managed to boot 51 goals last season he appears in good stead to reach that feat. Furthermore, if he manages to tally 63 goals he will overtake Doug Wade for fourth all-time.
Franklin is out of contract come season's end, so whether or not he'll have another opportunity to crack these feats if unsuccessful in 2022 is uncertain.
How will the Swans' back third hold up?
The Swans' backline is predominately held down by star duo Jake Lloyd and Dane Rampe, who combine for an elite shut-down/rebound tandem. Yet with both men getting towards the latter stages of their prime (Lloyd 28 and Rampe 31), the Swans can no longer emphasise such a reliance on the two to hold down the fort down back.
Adding to the stresses likely to plague the Sydney back-six is that Braeden Campbell and Harry Cunningham will be forced up the ground to help combat the losses of Jordan Dawson and to a lesser extent George Hewett.
Such shifts to their defensive structure will limit the playmaking potential from their counterattacks, in addition to forcing their more traditional defenders in Tom McCartin and Lewis Melican to play outside of their natural tendencies.
The degree to which John Longmire can reshuffle his defensive structure in-game will be the ultimate determinant of whether Sydney will legitimately be able to contend for the premiership in 2022.
What can Paddy McCartin offer?
34 goals from 35 games and a delisting after four seasons isn't the expected return for a former No.1 pick who was meant to be the league's next 'star forward'.
Unfortunately for McCartin, his issues with concussion left him unable to warrant the demands a top selection comes with. Contributing to Paddy's disappointing career to date has been his inability to adjust his bruising style to the modern game, in addition to being drafted to a St Kilda side in shambles.
After a couple of years out of the league and an extended period to work on his mind and body, McCartin has been given a lifeline with a functional club in the Swans.
It's quite clear that the expectations for the big man are nothing in comparison to his time with the Saints, additionally being afforded the opportunity to learn from Buddy will serve McCartin well as he looks to carve out a role as a secondary forward target.
Fingers crossed Paddy can make a fair go in his second time around.
Ruck roulette: Will Hickey and Ladhams be able to co-exist?
Tom Hickey had a career resurgence with his stellar play for the Swans last season, whereas Peter Ladhams seemed to fall out of favour in Port Adelaide despite his productivity around the ground.
So where's the give for Sydney's new ruck tandem?
By splitting the reps evenly between the two, the Swans can constantly have a fresh tall available for stoppages which will be of great benefit when taking on sides like Melbourne, West Coast, Collingwood and Fremantle who boast the elite ruckman in the comp.
While this theory appears sound on paper, the application of such a tactic in-game will be difficult when accounting for the size Sydney already boast inside forward 50, meaning that John Longmire has to hit the magnet board hard to make this experiment worthwhile.
Are the Bloods poised to take the mantle as the league's next dynasty?
While Melbourne, Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs can all make a claim for the league's next dynasty, the Swans can't be far behind as they usher in their new generation of stalwarts.
The future losses of Buddy, Josh P. Kennedy and Luke Parker have already been addressed by the Swans with their past several draft picks. Sydney has also managed to stockpile an assortment of other promising youngsters to lead their team into the foreseeable future.
Aside from the uncertainty around their defence, their midfield and forward line both get huge ticks.
Given Longmire's pedigree and history of making it to the big game, in addition to the Swans latest turnaround, it's not a reach to suggest that they currently possess dynastic qualities.
