Kennedy follows Swans' AFL road map

New Sydney captain Josh Kennedy has plenty of people at the club - plus a proven philosophy - if he needs to turn anywhere for advice.

Sydney have a road map, soaked in Blood and steeped in AFL success.

Whether it's new captain Josh Kennedy or Will Hayward, the youngest player on the Swans list, they know if they follow the map, they're on the right track.

Captains have been pivotal to the celebrated Bloods culture that has fuelled Sydney's relentless success for more than a decade.

Kennedy, a bull of a midfielder and one of the AFL's best players, continues the lineage.

He notes that previous co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack remain in the leadership group, while Adam Goodes and Brett Kirk are around the club.

Kennedy does not have to look far to consult the road map.

It's the same for Hayward and the healthy crop of young Swans, headed by Rising Star winner Callum Mills.

"The young players add an element of excitement for us - as long as they buy into the culture and the game plan, which they all have," Kennedy said.

"That makes it easy for us to bring them up to speed; help them feel comfortable at AFL level, when it's a pretty simple road map.

"It's not unlike me stepping into captaincy - the framework is there and it's just a matter of doing your best within that framework."

Those young players represent one of the keys to Sydney taking the next step and winning another flag.

As Kennedy notes, a lot already works - premiers, fourth, second, fifth and last year's narrow loss to the Western Bulldogs.

At halftime of that epic grand final, Kennedy was everyone's pick for the Norm Smith Medal and the Swans led by two points.

But Marcus Picken and Marcus Bontempelli managed to lessen Kennedy's considerable influence and the Bulldogs won an historic flag.

Kennedy was in tears at the final siren.

Then it was back to consulting the road map.

"It's just being really pointed - doing everything with the thought of 'how is this going to help me in a grand final or when the heat's really on?," he said when asked where the Swans need to improve.

While Kennedy's focus is taking that tough step to another premiership, the captaincy is a personal triumph.

It is eight years since the third generation of Hawthorn's most famous clan went north for more opportunity.

"It was a pretty easy decision at the time ... what I had in front of me," Kennedy said.

"A lot of people say the Hawks shouldn't have gotten rid of me but they've done pretty well since ... it's been a real win-win."


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Source: AAP


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