The best indication of how little impact Saturday's AFL draft is likely to have on the Swans' fortunes next season is the fact that two of the three players chosen will not even live in Sydney.

The 17-year-old Victorians Daniel Hannebery (taken with pick No.30) and Campbell Heath (61) are both likely to stay at home in Victoria to complete their final year of high school, playing in the elite under-18 competition and making occasional trips north to train at the SCG or play with the Swans reserves.

The Swans' first pick, South Australian Lewis Johnston (12), will come to Sydney immediately. However, the accomplished by still raw-boned key forward from Port Pirie is expected to take a couple of years to step up to senior football - in the place of veterans Barry Hall and Michael O'Loughlin if the club's recruiting team is on the money.

With the Swans having opted out of the pre-season draft, only former Collingwood midfielder Rhyce Shaw, noted for his hard running but not his accomplished finishing, will be added to the Swans team that finished sixth this season after a finals campaign in which it was apparent they remained competitive, but were well off the pace set by competition front-runners Geelong and Hawthorn.

Having chosen three teenagers for the second consecutive season, the Swans believe they have gone some way to achieving the generational change they had seemed reluctant to undertake. Johnston, Hannebery and Heath join Patrick Veszpremi , Brett Meredith, Craig Bird and Daniel Currie, all aged 19, on the list of well-credentialled teenagers on the club's list. With Kieran Jack (21) and Jarred Moore (22) revelations this year and Jesse White (20) still a work in progress, a club derided as a potential retirement village because several stars - Brett Kirk, Hall, Leo Barry and O'Loughlin - were more than 30 has a fresher look.

Most clubs were compelled this year to take youngsters, aware that future drafts will be compromised by the generation concessions granted to the new Gold Coast and, possibly, western Sydney franchises, something underlined by the fact just four experienced players were recycled. But because so many players - and very good players - are nearing the end of their careers, the Swans were considered more vulnerable than most to a potential dearth of young talent in coming seasons.

"We were aware that, as a list, we were getting a bit older so this year and last we've been really keen to keep those first- and second-round picks and get some young kids into the club," coach Paul Roos said. "Hopefully we've got a couple of really good kids leading into the drafts that will be compromised."

Swans manager of player personnel Stuart Maxfield said the club had specifically targeted a key-position player and a midfielder with their first two picks and were happy with the way the cards had fallen. Adelaide, which had pick 10, was considered another contender for Johnston but took fellow North Adelaide tall Phil Davis instead. Maxfield said a recent rule change that allows drafted players to compete in the under-18 TAC Cup in Victoria after being drafted would ensure Hannebery and Heath got game time while finishing school at home.

What remains to be seen is whether the Swans can achieve that generational change while remaining competitive. They hope they have found the "next Hall" and the "next Kirk" over the past two drafts. But the old versions still have a lot of work to do in the next season or two.

Swans's picks

No.12 Lewis Johnston (North Adelaide) 17, 192cm, 83 kg
Tall forward from Port Pirie who moves well and is a good mark both on the lead and in a contest. All-Australian under-18 this year.

No.30 Daniel Hannebery (Oakleigh Chargers) 17, 181cm, 77kg
Hard-running, skilful midfielder. An elite athlete who won the 3km time trial at the AFL draft camp. Could step up to the top level relatively quickly.

No.61 Campbell Heath (Gippsland Power) 17, 187cm, 75kg
Defender/midfielder with good foot skills. Did not dominate at under-age level but showed "strong AFL attributes".