The way gold medal-winning coach David Lush sees it, the Australian swimming team is in an AFL match ahead of the Tokyo Olympics - and they are winning the first quarter.
Australia appeared to be in a different ball game to runaway winners the United States at the world swimming championships at Budapest, finishing eighth overall.
They won 10 medals but just one gold after Emily Seebohm defended her 200m backstroke title.
It was their lowest world titles medal haul since 1991.
However, Seebohm's coach Lush said the performance of Australia's rookies indicated the Dolphins would soon be kicking goals on the world stage.
"I see it that we are in a football match ahead of the Tokyo Games," Lush said.
"We are in four quarters. It's not about lifting until that final quarter at Tokyo," Lush said.
"But from what I have seen from our youngsters in Hungary we are winning the first quarter."
Australia's 30-strong team boasted 11 rookies after the likes of ex-world record holder Cate Campbell, James Magnussen and Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers skipped the world titles in Hungary.
Lush cited the likes Kaylee McKeown to indicate the future was bright.
McKeown - just 16 - almost joined Seebohm on the 200m backstroke podium, breaking a junior world record to finish fourth.
Another 16-year-old - Ariarne Titmus - was just as impressive.
Dubbed "Arnie the Terminator" by her dad, Titmus clinched fourth in the 400m freestyle in a personal best time before powering the 4x200m freestyle relay team to bronze.
And 18-year-old Jack Cartwright stepped up in the absence of Magnussen and Chalmers.
He became only the third Australian 18 year old - behind only Chalmers and Cameron McEvoy - to crack the 48 second barrier before finishing seventh in the 100m freestyle final on senior debut.
Overall Australia's world titles display featured a total of 29 new personal bests and 40 performances out of a total of 61 in Budapest that were faster than their selection trials display.
"I am very pleased with the rookies and the steps they made," Australian head coach Jacco Verhaeren said.
"But I would not want to use the word happy or satisfied because this is just the beginning so onward from here.
"But I'm very hopeful for the younger ones we've seen here, almost all improved on what they did at trials.
"They showed that they could handle the meet and could handle the travel and I think that is important.
"We are look forward to showing ourselves on the Gold Coast (2018 Commonwealth Games".
Emma McKeon was Australia's shining light in Hungary, becoming the first Australian woman to claim six medals at a world swim titles after the Dolphins added two more bronze on the final day.
The US had their most successful world titles with 38 medals including 18 gold.
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