Chris Forster is a BPL citizen journalist

The Sydney Swans have always been strategic players during trade week. Big names such as Daniel Bradshaw, 2005 premiership captain Barry Hall and the league's all-time leading goal kicker Tony Lockett have joined the Swans from rival clubs during trade week and, in Bradshaw's case, the pre-season draft. While these marquee signings usually steal the headlines, it is the ability of the Swans to transform lesser known players into key position players that has made them such a consistent side over the past decade.

Tony Armstrong (Adelaide), Mitch Morton (Richmond) and young Irishman Tommy Walsh (St Kilda) will look to join the list of players who have made the switch to the harbour city and seen their careers take off.

Armstrong returns to his home state to play for the Swans after 14 games for Adelaide. His run and carry out of the backline will be used as cover for the recently retired Tadgh Kennelly.

Morton joins his third club in a stop-start career that began with West Coast in 2005 before a move to Richmond in 2008. Morton is a proven goal kicker and will be used to take some of the heat off Sam Reid and provide the Swans with another option up forward.

Walsh is a key position player from Ireland that is yet to play a game of senior AFL. After costing the Swans two draft picks, there is obviously something about him that excites coach John Longmire.

Josh Kennedy and Ben McGlynn were traded to Sydney from Hawthorn at the end of the 2009 season after failing to earn a regular birth in a Hawks side that included Lance Franklin, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Cyril Rioli. The move has been a success for both men.

Kennedy, a hardened midfielder who loves congested footy, played 13 games over three seasons at Hawthorn and struggled to hold down a regular spot in the side. Since jumping ship and making his way to Sydney, Kennedy has played 48 of a possible 48 games for the Swans and established himself as one of their premier midfielders. In his first season at the club in 2010 he finished third in the best and fairest count behind Kieran Jack and Shane Mumford and was awarded the Paul Roos award for best player in the finals series. In 2011 Kennedy capped off another outstanding season when he finished equal second alongside Rhys Shaw.

McGlynn made the journey to Sydney with fellow ex-Hawk Kennedy for the 2010 season. After debuting for Hawthorn in 2006 and playing 44 games over four seasons, McGlynn joined the Swans where he has played 38 games and kicked 53 goals over two seasons. After being signed as a goal scoring half-forward, McGlynn has evolved his game and has pushed up the ground into the midfield at times throughout 2011. His best on ground performance in the Swans upset victory over eventual premiers Geelong in round 23 demonstrated his defensive capabilities, when he negated the effect of Cats superstar Joel Selwood.

Shane Mumford joined the Swans in 2010 in search of regular game time. With Darren Jolly's departure to Collingwood, the Swans made an offer to Mumford that he could not refuse; a four-year contract offer that was used to pry him from the all-conquering Geelong side. Mumford was behind Brad Ottens and Mark Blake in Geelong's pecking order and the opportunity to play regular first grade football proved to be an offer too good to turn down. In his first year at the club Mumford finished runner-up in the clubs 2010 best and fairest, established himself as the Swans' first choice ruckman and was named in the 44-man preliminary All-Australian squad.

Rhyce Shaw was traded to Sydney from Collingwood at the conclusion of the 2008 AFL season. He was known as somewhat of a bad boy during his time at Collingwood and was involved in a highly publicised drink driving offence with Collingwood teammate Alan Didak and his brother Heath. The move north proved to be a masterstroke for Rhyce's career. In his first season at the Swans in 2009 Rhyce was runner-up in the clubs Best and Fairest award on the back of his devastating counter attack provided from the half-back line. He was named in the leadership group in 2010 and in 2011 he produced another stellar year and again finished second (alongside Josh Kennedy) in the clubs Best and Fairest.

Dashing half-back Marty Mattner (Adelaide), fullback Ted Richards (Essendon), ruckman Mark Seaby (West Coast) and key position players Matt Spangher (West Coast) and Andrejs Everitt (Western Bulldogs) are also currently plying their trade for the Swans after beginning their careers elsewhere.

If Armstrong, Morton and Walsh can follow in the footsteps of the likes of Kennedy, McGlynn, Mumford and Shaw before them, then they could be in for promising careers in red and white.