Sydney Swans' best 22

Gary Rohan is set to explode in 2014. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: News Limited

IN: Lance Franklin (Hawthorn, key forward), Jeremy Laidler (Carlton, defender), Zak Jones (Dandenong Stingrays, defender), George Hewett (North Adelaide, midfielder), Toby Nankervis (North Launceston, ruckman), Aliir Aliir (East Fremantle, defender), Tom Derickx (Richmond, ruckman), Patrick Mitchell (international rookie, ruckman), Lloyd Perris (NSW/ACT Rams, midfielder).

Dandenong Stingrays midfielder and Vic Country MVP Zak Jones is hoping his strong finish to the season is noted by AFL teams on draft day.

OUT: Tony Armstrong (Collingwood), Jude Bolton (retired), Alex Brown (delisted), Andrejs Everitt (Carlton), Marty Mattner (retired), Mitch Morton (retired), Shane Mumford (GWS Giants), Jesse White (Collingwood), Jed Lamb (GWS Giants).

COACHES:

John Longmire (senior coach), Stuart Dew (strategy and midfield), John Blakey (assistant), Henry Playfair (assistant), Jared Crouch (development), Marty Mattner (development).

Adam Goodes will be a potent weapon for the Swans again in 2014. Source: News Limited

HOW THEY'LL PLAY

HOW they always do - with a slingshot into what is now the most powerful forward line in the AFL.

The Swans like to play fast, counter-attacking football, and with the injection of Lance "Buddy" Franklin and a fit-again Adam Goodes, it's hard to imagine a go-slow approach being introduced at the SCG.

Sydney will boast a firepower that will be virtually impossible to contain one-on-one, making the pace injection from the likes of Lewis Jetta and Gary Rohan all the more vital in ensuring speedy transition. The Swans will press, but are content with forcing turnovers across half-back and launching from there.

HAWTHORN'S BEST 22

NEW NUMBERS AT YOUR CLUB

READY TO FLY

THE ominous thing about the Swans is that so many names come to mind when faced with this question. But the most excitement at the club is saved for Rohan, who with a full pre-season behind him and with more confidence in his leg, shapes as a massive inclusion for John Longmire.

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BEST 22

B: Rhyce Shaw (32, 193 games), Heath Grundy (27, 139 games), Nick Smith (25, 98 games)

HB: Nick Malceski (29, 151 games), Ted Richards (30, 206 games), Lewis Roberts-Thomson (30, 174 games)

C: Lewis Jetta (24, 78 games), Dan Hannebery (22, 101 games), Ryan O'Keefe (32, 282 games)

HF: Adam Goodes (33, 331 games), Lance Franklin (26, 182 games), Jarrad McVeigh (28, 219 games)

F: Sam Reid (21, 56 games), Kurt Tippett (26, 116 games), Ben McGlynn (28, 125 games)

R: Mike Pyke (29, 71 games), Josh Kennedy (25, 111 games), Kieren Jack (26, 139 games)

INTERCHANGE: Alex Johnson (21, 45 games), Gary Rohan (22, 27 games), Luke Parker (21, 57 games), Tom Mitchell (20, 14 games)

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Crows attack built to thrill

Taylor Walker steps up his return from knee surgery. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Limited

BRENTON Sanderson says Adelaide's new-look forward line is built to thrill next season.

And he forecast it could help the club challenge its greatest goalscoring year of 2012 - Sanderson's first in charge.

The Crows averaged a club record 106 points a game last year but that slipped dramatically to 94 points this year as Kurt Tippett fled for Sydney and Taylor Walker broke down with a serious knee injury.

But with Walker back on deck and key recruits James Podsiadly (from Geelong) and Eddie Betts (Carlton) on board and burning up the track, Sanderson is excited at just how potent his new attack could be.

"It could be a very different looking forward line in Round 1, 2014, to what Round 22, 2013, looked like,'' Sanderson said.

"We still liked our forward line (this year) but you get Tex (Walker) back, you add in Podsiadly and Betts and things get a bit more exciting.

"I think we've got a great young squad with plenty of depth through our forward line."

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Two other injured forwards - Tom Lynch and Josh Jenkins - will be ready to resume full training in the new year after recovering from foot and ankle surgery respectively.

Adelaide also has talls Shaun McKernan and Lewis Johnston and the smaller Jason Porplyzia, Matthew Wright, Jarryd Lyons and Jared Petrenko to rotate through its forward half, while midfield gamebreaker Patrick Dangerfield could also spend more time in attack next season because of the cap on interchange rotations.

Take a look back at the 2013 AFL season through the eyes of Australia's best photographers.

"When you look at the stats we had more inside-50s in 2013 than we did in 2012 but we were the highest-scoring Crows ever in 2012,'' Sanderson said.

"With a different looking forward line and the extra improvement which is going to come from Jenkins, McKernan and these sort of players I think we're going to be a very dangerous forward

line if we stay healthy.''

SUMMER WATCH: PATRICK DANGERFIELD

NEW JUMPER NUMBERS AT YOUR CLUB

Sanderson said the cap on rotations would mean more of his midfielders, including Dangerfield, Richard Douglas and Rory Sloane, resting in attack and kicking more goals while he forecast former Blue Betts would be a revelation in the Crows tricolours.

The nippy goalsneak - signed as a free agent - booted 290 goals in 184 games for Carlton and has thrilled Sanderson with his enthusiasm and professionalism.

"He is a really class player and one who is really going to stand out,'' Sanderson said.

"He's going to be fantastic for us and has quickly become a cult figure at the footy club.

"He's going to be getting at the feet of Tex, Podsiadly, Jenkins and McKernan and he's going to be really exciting to watch play this season.''

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Mission to find Gav's walking jumper

Gavin Wanganeen in action durign the 2004 AFL Grand Final. Source: News Limited

PORT Adelaide has launched a public appeal to have Gavin Wanganeen's 2004 premiership guernsey returned after it went missing during the club's landmark Grand Final celebrations.

Wanganeen, one of the club's best players on the day, is the only player from the side that doesn't have his jumper to frame from the Power's premiership after it went missing in the hours of jubilation after the final siren.

He had worn it until he jumped into the shower that Saturday night at the MCG and it is believed it was lifted from his bag either in the rooms or when it was bunched up with the other players' bags in transit or at the team hotel.

It is not the only item that went missing that day: full back Darryl Wakelin, who still cherishes the blood stained jumper from his altercation with Brisbane forward Alastair Lynch, had his shorts go missing in similar circumstances.

Wanganeen, Wakelin, Michael Wilson and Josh Carr caught up this week and compared notes with what had happened to their memorabilia over the years and the common theme was this: it is stuck in a bag or a box around the house and will be put on display when the players get around to it.

From left to right, Michael Wilson, Josh Carr, Wanganeen and Darryl Wakelin. Picture: Mike Burton. Source: News Limited

Wilson had framed his first AFL jumper and given it to his father-in-law and was planning to sell some of his gear off to raise money for charity, but the rest of them had yet to get as organised.

Wanganeen, the 1993 Brownlow Medallist, was hoping to put some of his old gear together and on display in a discreet part of his house - ``You wouldn't want it in the main part,'' he said - but the missing piece is the 2004 Power premiership jumper.

The appeal to find Wanganeen's jumper come as the players prepare for a 10-year reunion on March 8 in 2014, a dinner for players and supporters, plus celebrations surrounding the April 12 match against the Lions at Adelaide Oval.

At least Wanganeen is guaranteed a replica: the club will wear the 2004 version with the names of all players and supporters who sign up for a $260 jumper for the occasion in the round four match against Brisbane.

Wakelin has signed up for three of them for his children.

For more information on the replica jumpers, the club's membership number is 1300 467 232.

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Tex Walker on target for round one

Taylor Walker, looking sharp at pre-season training, could make a surprise return in round one. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: News Limited

CROWS coach Brenton Sanderson says star key forward Taylor Walker could make a shock return to the AFL in round one next season.

Sanderson says Walker - who underwent a knee reconstruction after rupturing his ACL against Carlton in round five last season - is so advanced in his rehab that it will be hard to stop him putting his hand up to play in the opening round.

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Adelaide plays Geelong in round one at Simonds Stadium on Thursday, March 20.

"I'm really excited about the shape that he's in. He couldn't be better," Sanderson said.

"He'll definitely want to play round one but we're not going to take any unnecessary risks because he's a really important asset for us.

"But at this stage I think he is going to be ready for the start of the season,"

Sanderson said.

Walker had ticked every box in his comeback and will start twisting and turning when Adelaide resumes training after the Christmas break on January 6.

SUMMER WATCH: DANGERFIELD

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Power confident Wines will sign

Port Adelaide dynamo Ollie Wines is yet to re-sign with the club. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Limited

PORT Adelaide says it is "very confident'' it can secure rookie sensation Ollie Wines to a long-term contract, despite the powerhouse midfielder being the one big name it has failed to re-sign this week.

As the Power continues to roll out contract extensions for key players - captain Travis Boak's new deal will be revealed tomorrow - Wines has yet to put pen to paper.

And his management team, Elite Sports Properties, has told Port he is in no hurry to re-sign.

Clearance specialist Wines, 19, is out of contract at the end of next season and the Power has been trying to stitch him up to a new, long-term deal since midway through last season.

The longer he leaves it to ink a new deal the more rival clubs will be put on red alert.

But if Port is concerned, it is not showing it.

Football operations manager Peter Rohde said while he would have liked to have added Wines' name to the list of pre-Christmas re-signings, which already has included Jay Schulz, Hamish Hartlett and Jake Neade, he is convinced Wines is happy at Alberton.

And he is hopeful of a new deal being struck in the next few months.

"If it gets to August and we still haven't re-contracted Ollie then we'll have some issues,'' Rohde said.

"But right now we're very confident that he's happy here and will re-sign for us.

"ESP has said they'll get back to us when the time is right but we know that Ollie is happy here, his family is happy with the club and he had a great first year here, so why wouldn't you re-sign?

"Everyone gets a bit nervous when (big) names haven't re-signed but Ollie knows we want him and I'm sure he loves being here.

"But obviously we'd love to get him done sooner rather than later.''

The powerfully-built Wines, from Echuca, had a standout first season at Port after being selected at pick seven at the 2012 national draft.

He played all 24 games, including the club's two finals, and averaged an impressive 19 disposals, four tackles and three clearances.

Wines also finished third in the AFL Rising Star award behind Gold Coast's Jaeger O'Meara and Adelaide's Brad Crouch and won the Gavin Wanganeen Medal as the Power's best first-year player.

His mum, Jane, admitted during Port's finals campaign that the family initially felt Wines had been drafted to "football hell'' by being picked up by the Power but had ended up in "football heaven'', such was the transformation at the club under first-year coach Ken Hinkley.

Rohde said that while Port had been delighted to secure long-term deals for a host of players this week, the Wines' situation wasn't unique.

"We've had a lot of players in his position in the past few years, including Travis in 2012, and we've managed to secure all of them,'' Rohde said, adding Wines was this week moving into a new house with club champion Chad Wingard.

"We're confident that will be the case with Ollie too.''

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Ebert locked away for another three

Brad Ebert celebrates a goal at the MCG. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: News Limited

PORT Adelaide coach Kenny Hinkley's bid to lock away his key players has reached another level after vice-captain Brad Ebert's contract was extended by three years.

It will keep Ebert at Alberton until at least the end of 2017, three years beyond his previous contract which would run out at the end of 2014.

Ebert is the fourth contract extension this week after Jay Schulz, Jake Neade and Hamish Hartlett all agreed to longer deals to be part of the revival under Hinkley.

The final signing this week is expected to be captain Travis Boak.

Hinkley has sent a clear message with the signings, having identified those who he consider crucial for the club's next tilt at a premiership.

He identified two players during his first pre-season at the club last summer, after he took over from Matthew Primus: Boak and Ebert.

The pair had stood out with their training and leadership and were duly assigned the roles of captain and vice-captain.

Ebert, 23, returned to his junior club Port in 2012 after beginning his AFL career with four seasons at West Coast.

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