SYDNEY coach Scott Gowans has declared the Swans are "open for business" as the club looks to rebound quickly after an injury-ravaged campaign.
The Swans surged into the top eight and won a final in just their second season but plummeted to a 15th-place finish with only three wins this year as key players were sidelined for extended periods.
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While the Swans will welcome back co-captain Chloe Molloy and 2023 All-Australian ruck Ally Morphett next year, Gowans signalled the club is already getting busy ahead of the Trade Period.
"We're definitely looking to trade, we're open for business with that and have already been in contact with a few clubs," Gowans said after Sydney finished its season with a 46-point thumping of West Coast.
"It's really important that we keep advancing the list to what's going to be a very competitive list. So, definitely open for business."
Bella Smith booted a career-high five goals against the Eagles to showcase her forward credentials after making the switch from defence this year.
That haul was enough to propel the 182cm key forward to equal second on the Swans' goalkicking charts for 2024, alongside Cynthia Hamilton on seven and only behind Bec Privitelli with 12 majors.
Gowans conceded that the Swans have been "crying out for someone to help 'Priv' as a focal point" and that they need to bolster their key-position stocks at both ends.
"We need some height down back. We've just got to find a key defender that can come to the club and really impact," Gowans said.
"The key forward role is critical to us as well. We always tend to play a little bit short compared to some other teams.
"So if you can get a Smith and a Privitelli, then one other, that really, really helps us."
The Swans fell out of finals contention amid a six-match losing streak that was snapped with arguably their best performance of the season in the final-round victory over the Eagles.
But rather than being frustrated that the Swans had only shown their best when their season was all but over, Gowans instead pointed to their narrow defeats as a key factor.
"Last year we won four games that were under 17 points. This year we lost three games by seven points or less, and then we had one more that was a couple of goals," Gowans said.
"That's not many disposals or inside 50s or clearance difference, it's just that the result didn't go our way. There are reasons for that, and we all know that, but we could have been sitting in the eight if it had have gone our way.
"It's just more about growing the spirit of the group and letting them understand that moments in games of footy can cost you."
