It wasn’t a mis-print … Jake Lloyd really did kick three goals against St Kilda on Sunday. But you could be excused for having taken a double look. Just to be sure.

It was a career-high for the 265-game veteran, and only the fourth time in his illustrious career he’s been a multiple goal-kicker.

And now at 31 he’s on the verge of an unlikely career milestone. One more goal and Lloyd will be the 157^th Swans player to register a half-century in front of the big sticks. And the slowest.

And although it’s something that will be more the subject of light-hearted banter in the locker room than any great statistical headline, it is a mark Lloyd will take from Jared Crouch, who was 217 games to 50 goals.

Other Swans to have taken more than 100 games to 50 goals have been 1933 premiership player and 1931-38 club champion Len Thomas (184), Ollie Florent (172), Lewis Roberts-Thomson (169), Harry Cunningham (162), 1972 club champion Russell Cook (137), Craig Bird (117), Brett Kirk (113), Dan Hannebery (111), 1909-18 premiership plater and AFL Hall of Famer Vic Belcher (110), Nick Malceski (108), Nic Fosdike (106) and Stuart Maxfield (103).

While Lloyd isn’t about to put on any exuberant celebration for his 50^th goal – if he’s even aware of the pending milestone – it will be a moment of private satisfaction.

Featuring in the VFL last month for the first time since 2015, Lloyd has responded as coach Dean Cox would have expected of the two-time Bob Skilton Medallist.

On 21 June he played in a Swans VFL side that posted just their second win of the year, coming from 44 points down late in the third quarter to beat 2^nd-placed Southport on the Gold Coast. He had 39 possessions and kicked a goal in a six-point win.

Since his return to the senior side as a defensive forward Lloyd has logged 22, 20, and 15 possessions and 1, 2 and 3 goals across Rounds 16-18.

It’s only the second time he’s got on the goal sheet three games in a row – and the first since games 15-17 in his first season in 2014.

He also had eight marks inside the forward 50m zone in the past three weeks – two each against the Bulldogs and Fremantle in Rounds 16-17 before a career-high four against St Kilda last match – after a total of 36 in his first 262 games. And never more than one in a game.

And while Lloyd’s new role is only one part of the story, the Swans have topped 90 points for the second, third and fourth times this year since his return. And the first time since Round 4 when they scored 117 points in their biggest win of the year by 65 points against North Melbourne.

Having played his 249^th game in last year’s grand final, Lloyd became the 14^th Swans player to 250 games in Opening Round, and after going past Mark Browning (251 games) in Round 2, he broke into the top 10 in Round 8 when his 257^th game saw him top Kieren Jack and Heath Grundy (256 games).

And with Dane Rampe sidelined by injury, Lloyd’s 266^th game this weekend will see him pull level with him in 8^th spot as he chases down Josh Kennedy, who ranks 7^th on the games list at 277.

He’s also climbed to 6^th spot in the AFL all-time for games played in jumper #44, with his 265 trailing only Corey Enright and Justin Madden (332), Richard Osborne (283), Nigel Lappin (279) and Stephen Milne (275).