SYDNEY defender Jake Lloyd has resisted lucrative offers to leave the club and committed to a new long-term contract.

Lloyd has signed a four-year deal, keeping him at the club until at least the end of the 2022 season.

The former rookie-listed Swan was an All Australian nominee this season, with the 25-year-old leading the League for kicks and averaging 27.8 disposals without missing a game.

Lloyd finished equal runner-up (with Lance Franklin) to Luke Parker in last year's club champion award and will be in the running to win his first Bob Skilton medal in two weeks' time.

Talk that Lloyd was set to find a new home and join former Swans assistant coach Stuart Dew at Gold Coast got stronger after Sydney failed to secure his signature before the end of its season, but head of footy Tom Harley told AFL.com.au he was always confident the running backman was going nowhere.

"I can understand the outside perception that there must have been some absolute deal-breakers (holding up contract negotiations), but there was never any animosity and communication between the two parties was always ongoing and transparent," Harley said.

"There was never a stage when either party said 'listen, let's park this until the end of the year' or anything like that.

"We're extremely grateful that Jake has seen the footy club as a place he wants to play, and we couldn't be happier to have him with us long term.

"He's an important player, so for him to show that faith is really pleasing."

Lloyd, who is currently on an end of season break in Hong Kong with fellow defenders Heath Grundy and Nick Smith, has become one of the game's best offensive backmen under John Longmire, and Harley said the senior coach was rapt to hear the news.

"He's pretty happy obviously, he's been Jake's only coach and has seen him develop into a really top-line player," he said.

The Swans look certain to lose veterans Dan Hannebery and Gary Rohan in this year's NAB AFL Trade Period, and with Alex Johnson delisted last week and the out-of-contract Nic Newman also exploring his options, the off-season will see plenty of change.

Harley said Lloyd's drawn-out negotiations had nothing to do with other players and once again brushed off suggestions of player unrest at the club, after vice-captain Parker's name was linked with a move back to Melbourne last week.

"You back your own judgement on that first, and clearly our game is very public, so you need to be able to identify fact and fiction," he said.

"At the same time, you need to deal in the right facts and not just the ones you want to hear.

"We certainly don't play that out publicly or respond to rumours, we've got more conviction than that.

"There's been some player movement flagged over the past week and we'll work through that, but it’s important to note that with Dan and Gary, both parties were open and transparent about exploring options.

"Our overall mandate is to get better and we do that by providing the best overall environment for our players to thrive, and that will always be our focus."