To borrow some racing parlance, Sydney is a team you want to 'keep safe' in 2011.

Not a team brimming with stars, with the obvious exception of Adam Goodes, the Swans keep presenting year after year. The wins slowly mount and, hey presto, there they are in September.

The big unknown this year is that the brilliant Paul Roos is no longer at the helm. Roos made good his promise to walk away at the end of 2010 and handed the job to long time assistant John Longmire. It was an orderly, amicable and impeccably-planned handover and the disruption to the Swans should be minimal.

Under Roos, the Swans were the masters of contested-possession footy. He started releasing the shackles last year, so now we wait to see in which direction Longmire steers the side.

Sydney finished sixth last year, an excellent achievement considering the long injury list the Swans carried for much of last year and it raises hopes that with a reasonably clean bill of health, the Swans could aim for the double chance this year.

But there are still lingering health concerns. Daniel Bradshaw's knee still isn't right and you have to ask whether at age 32, the Swans will ever see the best of him. Nick Malceski, whose run off half-back is so critical to the side, won't play for half a year because yet another knee reconstruction.

That the Swans didn't follow the lead of several other clubs and plummet down the ladder in the wake of a brace of injuries was their trademark excellent drafting and recruiting. Last year's success stories were former Hawthorn midfielders Ben McGlynn and Josh Kennedy. McGlynn's run and carry was a key reason why the Swans were more attacking last year, while Kennedy's work as an inside midfielder was first-class. You have to wonder whether some time down the track, the Hawks will regret not trying harder to keep Kennedy at Waverley Park.

If the Swans are to press again there will need to be continued improvement from Kieren Jack, Daniel Hannebery, Lewis Jetta and Trent Dennis-Lane. Jack, from a great rugby league family is becoming a face of the club while Hannebery won the Rising Star award last year. He is a beautiful player to watch.

But ultimately, Sydney's fate rests with Goodes. He was in brilliant touch through the pre-season - had their been a Brownlow awarded for the NAB Challenge he would have been the clear winner - and he is a proven match-winner wherever he plays, be it as a tall, mobile midfielder or as a mobile key forward.

Bradshaw's absence may force him to play forward a bit more, but he'll make a major contribution and break the heart of a few opponents.

Provided the injury bug doesn't hit hard again, Roos has left Longmire with a good list. Add that and a strong home ground advantage, the Swans are good enough to make the finals again. We say in seventh place.

THE STORY SO FAR

8. Fremantle

9. Carlton

10. Essendon

11. Melbourne

12. North Melbourne

13. West Coast

14. Richmond

15. Gold Coast

16. Port Adelaide

17. Brisbane