Career would be empty without AFL Swans flag: Adams

Adams's take on how his time in the AFL has unfolded comes as Brodie Grundy insists he harbours no regrets about his ill-fated move to Melbourne as he too prepares for a fresh start at the Swans.

Switching from 2023 premiers Collingwood, Adams joins Sydney in search of more time in the midfield after Magpies coach Craig McRae used him more at half-forward during the 2023 season.

"The decision was based on footy. I was clearly playing out of my preferred role," Adams said.

"To be honest the biggest reason (for joining Sydney) was I felt my footy was on the decline. I felt like I had more to give.

"(Sydney) have identified that their stoppage work had room for improvement last year and maybe their on-field leadership so hopefully I can have an impact in both of those parts of the game.

"I still think I've got my best footy ahead of me."

The Swans emerged from the trade period as big winners, adding Grundy, Adams, former Fremantle defender Joel Hamling and ex-Demon James Jordon to a list mostly similar to the one that made the 2022 grand final.

Adams has already had two close brushes with premiership glory.

He first played in the Collingwood side that lost the epic 2018 grand final to West Coast and watched on with a hamstring injury as the Magpies won this year's thrilling decider against Brisbane.

Adams signed a three-year deal with Sydney just days after the grand final, eager to make the most of the Swans' premiership window.

"I'm 30 years old, just turned 30 and missed out on a premiership. I've been playing for 12 years, chasing one of those," Adams said.

"You'd go as far as saying my career would be unfulfilled if I didn't get one.

"I know that's a bold statement but I've packed up my life and moved myself and my family up here.

"I believe that we've got the list and the coaching panel and the support network to get it done at some point in the next three years."

Former Collingwood teammate Grundy joins Sydney after a season at the Demons that began with the hopes of forming a ruck-forward partnership with captain Max Gawn.

It ended with Grundy playing only one senior game after round 17.

But with the chance to have worked alongside six-time All-Australian Gawn at a flag-contending club, Grundy insists he is not bitter.

"I don't have any regrets about my time at Melbourne," he said.

"If I was really attached and fixed, then that year, I'd be framing that as a negative but that's definitely not the case.

"Like any good management or any good team you have to sit down and think about, 'Is this working?'

"Credit to Melbourne and my team, we were just pretty honest and forthright.

"I think everyone's happy and I get to go on and try to play some senior footy and contribute hopefully really meaningfully to this side."

Grundy will fill the spot vacated by the retired Tom Hickey and is keen to work under former West Coast premiership ruckman Dean Cox, now an assistant coach at the Swans.

"I really identify with the way that he played his football," Grundy said.

"I actually remember having a beer with him, he might not even remember, maybe in my second or third year, at our manager's Christmas party.

"I was probably 20, 21. Now to have him be my mentor here, that younger version of me would be saying 'Well done, that's a great outcome'."

Australian Associated Press