RECRUITING players with leadership qualities is a high priority when it comes to building a brand new club, and for Sydney, Brooke Lochland brings that in droves.

Lochland boasts an impressive AFLW resume. Thirty-five career games, a premiership, an All-Australian guernsey and the record for most goals kicked in a single game. So, when presented with the challenge of being a part of something new, a move to a new city and a new job to boot, she leapt in with both feet.

As the second most experienced player on the Swans' inaugural list, and the former vice-captain of the Western Bulldogs, she has helped her new teammates realise what it takes to thrive in an elite sporting environment.

"Being in a sporting environment kind of my whole life, seeing that professional side of things, I think that the girls still need to be educated on that side of things so to be able to bring that I think, you know, they just never had been in that environment," Lochland told womens.afl.

"I'm really lucky that I had so I felt that was probably one of the biggest things I've brought to them."

Helping her teammates set these standards isn't simply for the short-term benefits, but to encourage them to get the most out of themselves, for the longest careers possible.

"To be able to help them I guess, bring more longevity to their careers. Hopefully they're playing for 15 years and if they do it right, and they train well and look after their bodies and recover well and sleep well and eat well, all those things," Lochland said.

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"That is so important in being an athlete, if that gives them two, three more years in their career and if I've made you know, some kind of impact on them, then then I've done my job."

Leaving behind that legacy of maintaining high standards to get the most out of oneself at the Bulldogs to start anew at the Swans wasn't a simple decision for Lochland.

There was a fear of the unknown, of saying goodbye to six years of relationships and routines.

But arriving at her new club and getting to know coach Scott Gowans, executive general manager of AFLW Kate Mahony and CEO Tom Harley has made the transition far more comfortable.

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"I'd been at the Bulldogs for a long time. I love the club and I love the people there. I just felt that I was at a stage where I probably wanted something refreshing and new. So, when this opportunity came up, yeah, it was really appealing.

"I think when I came up I was pretty, you know, naturally pretty scared of what it was going to be like. But when I came up, I was so glad that I made the decision. And, you know, the Bulldogs will always have a place in my heart… but I'm really excited to build something new here, build a new club culture here as well. And we've got such support from the club, and from Tom and Kate and Scott. They're just such great leaders."

Those calm, considered voices at the head of the program have helped the club navigate a hectic period, between expansion signings, draft, and fixture announcements. Amidst everything, soaking up the significance of those things is something not to be forgotten.

"It's really important that we do take in these moments, there's so many, there's going to be so many firsts for us this season. The first training session, we had the draft week, the draft night, we had the number one draft pick, like it's not often that you are in those situations," Lochland said.

"We just need to stop and actually really enjoy these moments."