Every AFL club's squad for the 2027 season is coming together, so how does each team's back, midfield and forward line stack up with their rivals?
We at Zero Hanger will be going through all 18 clubs analysing and ranking them 1-18 across all three thirds of the ground, starting with the backline.
While the draft, delisted free agent signing period and trial spots remain for clubs to recruit players, the majority of each team's starting 23 are in place.
Focusing on the players at their disposal, their style of football in 2026, and with a look forward to Round 1, 2027, this is how we ranked every club 1-18 for its defence.
9. Sydney
Defenders: Tom McCartin, Sam Wicks, Harry Kyle, Riak Andrew, Ned Bowman, Riley Bice, Will Edwards, Joel Hamling, Patrick Snell, Lewis Melican, Jake Lloyd, Callum Mills
The Swans have lost Nick Blakey and Harry Cunningham to rival clubs, captain Callum Mills to an ACL for 99 per cent of next season and veteran Dane Rampe is weighing up retirement.
Those are possibly four big and experienced exits out of Sydney's back six.
Fortunately for the Swans, their club is built around a pressure-loving willingness from their forwards and midfielders to defend first then spring forward into counterattacking action - will be made harder with Blakey's absence.
Key defender Tom McCartin is a star, Will Edwards has shown a bit and Lewis Melican is reliable, but the Swans aren't blessed with plenty of quality tall timber down back if injuries strike.
The rebounding game will have to be led Riley Bice and Sam Wicks, two decent players without possessing star factor. Harry Kyle, 19, looms as an exciting option to fly off halfback but you can't plan your counterattacking game on a kid in his second season.
Sydney could move backwards, without falling out as the Bloods culture rarely does, in 2027. Largely due to a lack of defensive quality and depth.
