Sydney are one of the surprise packets of season 2021, with their meteoric rise up the table being one of the feel-good stories of the year.
The amount of talent that the side possess now is truly frightening and if they are this far up the table with most of their youngsters still relatively fresh-faced, imagine what they will look like even two years down the track.
Still, some departures this year could see the side with a few holes in it and with this the club may need to look to the market to find solutions.
5 Trade Targets: Adelaide
5 Trade Targets: Brisbane
5 Trade Targets: Carlton
5 Trade Targets: Collingwood
5 Trade Targets: Essendon
5 Trade Targets: Fremantle
5 Trade Targets: Geelong
5 Trade Targets: Gold Coast
5 Trade Targets: GWS
5 Trade Targets: Hawthorn
5 Trade Targets: Melbourne
5 Trade Targets: North Melbourne
5 Trade Targets: Port Adelaide
5 Trade Targets: Richmond
5 Trade Targets: St. Kilda
We continue our ‘Five trade targets for every club’ series with Sydney.
In no particular order, here are five players which the Swans recruitment team would do well to target and potentially poach.
The Port Adelaide young gun has a bright future ahead of him, but where he chooses to spend it is up to him.
The New South Welshman has been a staple in Ken Hinkley's side for the past few weeks, and is slowly building into a formidable key forward alongside Charlie Dixon.
Marshall has booted 16 goals in his 13 appearances for Port Adelaide this year and is having his best year to date.
Forward
Disposals
Marks
Goals
Despite this, the 23-year-old is out-of-contract come the conclusion of the 2022 season and could be one of the hottest prospects on the market if he doesn't sign an extension.
The promise of partnering Logan McDonald in arguably the best young forward-line in the competition could be enough to sway him to return to his home state and be a part of a blossoming side.
Add in the salary cap space that could be freed up when Lance Franklin hangs up his boots, and a move for Marshall could definitely be on the cards.
The Hawks triple-premiership player is out for season 2021 with a serious back injury, but there is no doubting his inherent ability that has seen him be one of the best forwards of his generation.
Despite Hawthorn's rough period over the past few years, the 29-year-old has still dished up some great totals for Alastair Clarkson's side.
In season 2020 Gunston kicked 31 majors in just 16 matches for his side and was the main man for the Hawks down in attack.
Although he is starting to move toward the twilight years of his career, the Victorian-native still has incredible ability and could be an asset to a developing Sydney forward-line.
If he was to move up north then he could act as a superb mentor for younger forwards such as Logan McDonald and Will Hayward amongst others.
Throw in his free agent status at the end of 2022, Gunston could definitely be tempted into a final move to Sydney to see out his career.
The Dockers' young defender has been a mainstay in Justin Longmuir's side for several years now.
Cox has been solid down back for the Dockers in 2021, however recently sustained a hamstring injury which ended his season prematurely.
Despite this, the 22-year-old was consistently putting up some superb numbers prior to his injury.
Cox averaged 8.6 spoils, 1.3 contested marks per match as well as 90.1% disposal efficiency - all above average or elite level numbers for a key defender.
[player_widget player_id='brennan-cox' season='2021' stats='Disposals,Marks,Rebound50s' position="Defender"
The South Australian-native is out-of-contract come the end of next year and there will be a host of suitors looking to bring him to their respective clubs, and Sydney should be one of them.
If they continue their rise over the course of the next 18 months, then should they come calling for Cox it will be very hard for him to turn them down.
Another Docker is small forward Lachie Schultz. Despite his size, the 23-year-old is a potent threat down forward that, if utilised in the correct way, can be devastating.
The mature-aged recruit has only played 38 games at the top level, but has potential to be a true star should he play his cards right.
Schultz so far in season 2021 has booted 17 goals in 15 games for Fremantle, but his ability around the goals is what makes him tick.
He is currently averaging 4.4 marks and 1.3 marks on lead per game, above average and elite figures respectively that shows the danger he poses inside 50 by finding space.
Despite this, Schultz is out-of-contract at the conclusion of this season, meaning he is available to be traded should he not want to continue on at the Dockers.
If John Longmire wants another small forward to complement the lethal Swans attack, then Lachie Schultz could be his man.
A gun key-forward that could be a star in the future is Adelaide's Elliott Himmelberg.
The 23-year-old has not had as much time in the sun as cross-town counterpart Todd Marshall, but Himmelberg does have potential to go far in his footballing career.
Despite this, he has had a rough season 2021, with the prodigious Riley Thilthorpe keeping him out of the side for the bulk of the year.
His lack of game time could be the trigger for him to explore other avenues should things not improve by the time his contract expires at the end of 2022.
The Swans will want to secure another key forward, with Lance Franklin's retirement on the horizon and Himmelberg could be it.
He wouldn't cost a heap and he still has plenty of space to develop as a player - something Sydney are very, very good at doing.
Keep an eye on this one if he fails to break into the side. The 'Big Easy' could find himself playing against his brother Harry in the Battle of the Bridge in the near future.