"All week, I’ve been saying that this is my last yoga session, this is my last weights session and tonight’s obviously my last training session," Barry said.

"Definitely, once I run onto the ground, it’ll certainly hit me and I’m sure we’ll really turn up to play and we’ll celebrate afterwards."

Crouch was under no illusions as to the emotional impact of his last game and the chance to say goodbye to the Swans faithful.

"They’ve been incredibly supportive of all of us. In a lot of ways, it’s just a great opportunity for us to say thank you for the great support they have given over the years," he said.

"I’m an emotional person and I know there will be tears flowing but I guess that’s just part of it."

O’Loughlin admitted to some disappointment at having missed the finals in his last season, but agreed it was fitting to end his career on the same ground as it started back in 1995.

"To finish off here, at the best ground in Australia – the best ground in the world – the fans have been fantastic for me and hopefully on the weekend we can repay them with a bit of a win," he said.

All three held no regrets about their decisions to retire and O’Loughlin said it was gratifying to see the club’s youngsters flourish in the second half of the season.

"It’s an exciting time for the club. There are obviously a few spots up for grabs now and they can take that into next year and believe that there’s a spot in the forward line and the back line all up for grabs," O'Loughlin said.

"Hopefully these young guys can take that on board and train well and then play well."

Having shared 14 seasons at the club – Crouch arrived in Sydney one year after O’Loughlin and Barry – each of the retiring stars was delighted to be sharing the spotlight with their mates.

"If Leo and Mick hadn’t have brought up that they were retiring, I would have quite happily ridden off into the sunset," Crouch said.

"But because we have shared so much together – we shared first games, we shared big games, we’ve shared family events; the boys were at my wedding and I was at theirs… we’ve shared so much that it is, in a way, fitting that we’re sharing retirement as well."

O’Loughlin expressed some regret he wouldn’t be sharing the forward line with another departing Swan, Barry Hall, on Saturday night.

"He’s been an inspiration in terms of the things he’s been able to do on the field that I’ve been able to witness. I played with another great player in Tony Lockett and it was great to sit alongside those guys and watch them go about their work," he said.

"I think Baz does need a bit of a mention. He’s been fantastic for the footy club, and with his profile up here as well."

But it was Leo Barry who summed up the overwhelming feeling of pride that all three shared as they headed into their final days as Sydney Swans.

"In the 15 years, I think we’ve played 11 or 12 finals [series], three grand finals [and] six or seven prelims, so it’s been a really amazing decade and a half at the club and a successful era," he said.

"To be part of that and to be a captain, to be in the leadership group, to be one of the senior players, I feel extremely proud to have had such an involvement in a terrific period for the footy club."