Rebuffed Swans hope to pick their NTFA future with return to finals

Missing finals for the first time in more than five years, the club pivoted towards youth development while a number of past premiership players departed.

Now with a full season under their belts, Swans president Stephen Walley said the young players in the squad needed to be brought back into a "winning culture".

"We've always known that the junior pathway into senior footy was going to be our future, so that's been a huge focus," he said.

"That's why we've consciously strengthened up a little bit to give ourselves a real chance of still working with those young ones coming through, but also to give them a taste of playing finals footy."

Coach Kodie Joseph will also enjoy the benefit of entering his second year, while inclusions such as Shayne and Ethan Goldfinch - the latter has signed as assistant coach - add both quality and finals experience to the Swans.

"We certainly have an aspiration of getting back into the finals series and just strengthening everything, certainly that junior pathway," Walley said.

"Heading into this season, we're pretty excited."

Beyond the immediate goal of playing September football, East Coast have good reason to be beefing up their player stocks and improving their junior program.

While the speculation surrounding the clubs involved in the Northern Premier League beginning next year has not been centered around the Swans, the change to a regional model for football in the state affects all clubs.

With Walley becoming the latest to state that he expects a three-division model, he said the club wants to put themselves in the best position possible to be able to decide their own future at the end of this season.

"Part of strengthening up this season is about being in a position where we would be able to present a really good case, both playing-wise but also off-ground and governance-wise and financially, and give ourselves the best chance to be in whatever division is a best fit for us," he said.

"We've pretty much transformed our club, both on and off the ground, over about a six, seven-year period now, we're really confident about where our financial situation has got to and that will allow us to drop into any division really."

Walley added that the NTFA had some crucial decisions to make, with one in particular required to ensure future success for the association.

"It's absolutely essential to have that relegation and promotion opportunity," he said.

"Because I think the restructure should have enough flexibility to accommodate the clubs that are working really hard at that longer-term plan, strengthening gradually over time to test themselves out at the next level.

"I believe that would create a really healthy whole competition and keep some really good aspirational opportunity for all clubs."

But the East Coast boss did stress that he had full confidence the right decisions would be made.

"While change brings a little bit of a challenge, I think we're actually in for some pretty exciting times," he said.

"If we've got good processes around the decision-making, clubs will work together in the best interests of the whole association and I think the restructure will bring huge opportunity for the Northern part of the state."

The announcement of which clubs join the NPL is set to be made in March.