Seven years, seven first-round exits in the AFL's pre-season Cup.

But this time it could turn out to be a very different story for the Swans.

Sydney coach Paul Roos says there's a lot of excitement in the Swans camp going into 2010, after a rare early start to the summer campaign.

Roos put the Swans through a three-hour training session at Lakeside Oval in heatwave conditions on Friday, including an intra-club trial game.

Sydney's 2005 premiership halfback Tadhg Kennelly, who spent 2009 playing Gaelic football in Ireland, is back for another stint with the Swans and was one of the stars of Friday's game.

Others to impress included draft picks Byron Sumner, Gary Rohan and Lewis Jetta and rookie Henry Playfair.

Big men Mark Seaby (ex-West Coast) and Shane Mumford (ex-Geelong) performed well in a head-to-head battle as the Swans embark on a new era in the ruck following Darren Jolly's transfer to Collingwood.

Ex-Brisbane forward Daniel Bradshaw, 31, is having his workload monitored and may be rested for Sydney's NAB Cup opener against Carlton at Blacktown on February 20.

Roos, entering his eighth and final season as Swans coach, says defenders Craig Bolton, Lewis Roberts-Thomson and Rhyce Shaw may also miss the match.

But it's a much better scenario than the one Roos traditionally faces in January.

"In this time over the past six or seven years you think how are we going to get a team together for the NAB Cup?," Roos said.

"And we're biting and scratching and we're playing kids who have only been here for two months.

"We're so far advanced in our training, which we haven't been able to do in the past few years.

"We've got Seaby and Mumford and (ex-Hawks) Josh Kennedy and Ben McGlynn from other clubs.

"So we're really keen to get them some game time.

"But we want to get our best team on the field from day one.

"Even though it was only a touch game of footy, it just shows you how advanced we are compared to the previous few years.

"The standard was really high."

Roos says he has enjoyed sending young troops into battle in the NAB Cup.

"But you do get frustrated," he said.

"Senior players get a little bit frustrated when they're playing and they look around and there's about five senior players and no one else.

"It also gives you a chance to work on your game plan earlier.

"There's no doubt from a coaching point of view we're feeling a lot more excited about the NAB Cup because we can put a much better product on the field this year.

"Given we didn't make the finals last year (for the first time since 2002), we've got a lot of players ready to play.

"This is my last chance for a win. I'll go out zero and eight if I lose.

"That won't look good on my resume."

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