A fresh-faced Luke Parker labelled himself “super competitive” and a “good leader” in his first chat with Swans Media as a 2010 draftee.

In 2015, Swans coach John Longmire echoed Parker’s words: “Ultimately he’s a competitor. His will is enormous … His growth in the leadership meetings and around the club in general has been really positive.”

And on the cusp of 2019, the insatiably competitive Parker has stepped up to the plate as one of three Swans co-captains.

Parker and defender Dane Rampe were last Friday appointed as co-captains alongside incumbent skipper Josh Kennedy, restitching the co-captaincy model so interwoven in Swans history.

Sydney has welcomed a three-way co-captaincy structure for the first time since Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk and Craig Bolton carried the mantle in 2009 and 2010, and Parker says he’s eager to lead the Swans into a new dawn alongside Kennedy and Rampe.

“For me if the opportunity ever came up I was always going to be willing to put my hand up,” Parker said.

“I’m really excited to have the support crew of Josh and Dane.

“I’ve learned from so many greats of the club and have been through a few captains, and still having (former co-captains) Kieren Jack and Jarrad McVeigh guiding me in this role is a big plus.

“I am really excited about where the club’s going, where the young group’s going and this next chapter of my career.” 

The Swans have taken on a co-captaincy model for 12 of the 14 seasons since claiming the 2005 premiership.

Kennedy served as sole skipper as Sydney booked back-to-back tickets to finals footy in 2017 and 2018.

McVeigh and Jack led the charge as co-captains between 2013 and 2016, and names likes Goodes, Kirk, Jude Bolton and Leo Barry had graced Swans folklore in years prior.

Parker says the three 2019 co-captains are cut from different cloth, and he hopes their unique personalities will make for a strong dynamic.

“We’re all three different personalities and probably have three different ideas,” Parker said.

“Hopefully that’s the thing that’ll be a really strong contributor to our success and finding the right plan.”