JOSH Kennedy was the glue that held Sydney's premiership hopes together when they had all but shattered after the opening six rounds of the season.
Kennedy's first year as skipper of the Swans, a role jointly filled by a range of co-captains during the past decade, has been a steep learning curve.
"You question what you're doing and if you're the right man for the job," Kennedy admitted earlier this year, when asked about the club's worst start to a season since 1993.
Fast forward four months and the Swans are in-form premiership contenders, while he enters September in cracking from as both midfielder and motivator.
Ask any player at the SCG about the catalyst behind their record-breaking turnaround and Kennedy's name inevitably comes up at some point.
"He was one of few playing really good footy those six weeks," Dan Hannebery recalled.
• Forecast the road to the flag with the AFL Ladder and Finals Predictor
Hannebery and others cite how the 29-year-old leads by example, for instance when he returned from injury at Adelaide Oval in round 22 and was among the Swans' best in their most meaningful win of the resurgence.
Kennedy was a man inspired, even leading up to that clash with ladder-leading Adelaide. He realised the importance of a fixture that could secure a finals berth and put the competition on notice.
"He was out for three weeks and the way he came back - he was training like I've never seen him before," speedster Zak Jones noted.
"He's just incredible. I can't speak highly enough of him."
Kennedy's work ethic, desperation at stoppages and capacity to kick clutch goals are all exemplary. It is part of the reason why so many teammates were surprised about his recent All-Australian snubbing.
But his leadership is more nuanced than that.
Kennedy's words have a resounding effect on teammates, as those of his grandfather and iconic coach John Kennedy senior had on Hawthorn's first three premiership teams.
The Swans' three-time best and fairest winner has a knack of instilling confidence, regardless of whether his team are last on the ladder or preparing for week one of finals.
"He's one of the most dominant players I've ever played with and one of the comp's most consistent footballers," young gun Jake Lloyd said.
"But people don't hear the way he talks to the group. They don't see the way he gets everyone together and gives us that sense of direction.
"He has so much passion and belief in us as teammates and a team."
It didn't translate into four premiership points until round seven. At which point outsiders had started to point the finger at coach John Longmire and Kennedy.
"We all felt for him," ruckman Callum Sinclair said, hailing Kennedy's composure and character.
Kennedy and the club's leadership group drew a line in the sand at 0-6, incredulous about an uncharacteristically lackadaisical response to Carlton's attempt to intimidate young gun Callum Mills.
Some 14 victories have followed.
Kennedy will be willing his side to bank another four but, regardless of what transpires, Longmire has reason to feel content about bucking the club's recent trend and assigning a sole captain.
"Josh has done a fantastic job," Longmire said.
Two-time Geelong premiership skipper Tom Harley, now serving as Sydney's football manager and already locked in to be their next chief executive, has also been suitably impressed.
"He would have learned a lot of things about himself as a player and a leader, by being exposed to what he was exposed to at the start of the year," Harley said.
"I know he's better for the experience.
"He's always had that huge pride in his high performance. As captain he has huge pride in, and takes very seriously, the responsibility of leading."
