'This is going to be clunky': Swans begin AFL comeback

"I said that to the players. Pre-Christmas, I said, this is going to be clunky," Cox told AAP.

"It's going to not feel right at times. We're going to get exposed, and I don't know when it'll all gel."

Figuring out how to guide an AFL team after a heartbreaking grand final loss as a first-year coach can be a bit like that.

Even more so when the team had also been belted in a grand final only two years previously, and have lost four in total since the club's last premiership.

By halftime of last year's decider, any chance of Sydney emerging with their first flag in 12 years was all but shot.

The Brisbane Lions had silenced the minor premiers with seven-straight goals in the second term to build a 46-point lead at the main break.

Finals hero Isaac Heeney could hardly walk with a stress fracture in his ankle, and proven stars Errol Gulden and Chad Warner struggled to fire in his place.

Sydney, the side that had been leading the league since round nine, lost by 60 points.

Parallels to their 81-point grand final hammering to Geelong in 2022 were easily drawn, though Warner, in the aftermath, admitted this felt worse.

John Longmire stepped down as coach less than two months later, citing the need to rest after 14 seasons.

It was his fourth grand final loss since guiding the Swans to an epic grand final win over the Hawks in 2012.

Cox was handed the keys after a long stint as Longmire's assistant, ignoring overtures to return home and coach West Coast.

He set the tone of his tenure with a day-long review of their loss to Brisbane and walked away clear in focus.

"The way we defend, we needed to change," Cox said.

"It wasn't just the grand final - that was one part of it.

"Towards the back end of the year, we dropped away from what we were really known for - a real hard, contested, uncompromising brand of footy.

"That's something we have to get back to.

"The difference between having to do everything from your back half is different than playing a front-half game of footy."

Conquering the mental game will be just as important for Sydney under Cox.

The Swans had lost their resolve and connection under immense pressure from the Lions, kicking just nine goals from 49 inside-50s.

In comparison, Brisbane slammed through 18 majors from 51 entries.

Another look at the stat sheet will show Sydney gave up 62 turnovers to 53 and allowed the Lions to take 267 uncontested possessions to their 189.

"One thing we've tried to do over the whole pre-season is to test the players mentally off the field," Cox said.

"It's all about them being able to problem-solve and adapt themselves, identify a situation, stay calm, clear on what they need to do."

Hawthorn are first up on the long road back to a grand final, welcoming last year's late-season bolters to the SCG on Friday.

The Swans will have to go about it without their skipper Callum Mills (foot) and key ball winner Errol Gulden (ankle).

Mills is not expected to return earlier than the club's round-three bye after suffering a plantar fascia tear, while Gulden is set for a lengthy time on the sidelines after undergoing surgery.

Gulden fractured his ankle in their final pre-season match against Gold Coast.

There are also question marks on the fitness of stars Tom Papley (ankle), Brodie Grundy (knee) and Logan McDonald (ankle).

Punters would be forgiven for looking at the undermanned line-up and predicting a tough path ahead for the Swans, but Cox is sticking to his convictions.

"Oh, well, that'll always come. The external narrative you can't change," Cox said.

"For me and for the footy club, it's about a new start.

"We need to implement what we're trying to change, and whether that's straight away and you get results or it's not, we're on a course to be as consistent as we possibly can.

"We're under no illusions. We're going to get tested."