He is part of the player surge that transformed the landscape at the Swans - turning the club into, if not a thing a beauty, at least something far more attractive than what had existed for years.
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Liam Dunn was among a bunch of players who joined the Swans in 2018 - the year after the club had a winless season.
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All of them were friends of Tom Kelly, the son of Swans coach Paul, and they were AFL novices.
Their growth as footballers over the past three seasons has transformed the Swans from easybeats into a premiership contender this year.
On Saturday at No 1 Oval, the side's quest for a third premiership - and their first since 2009 - will get a major boost if they topple the undefeated Gunnedah.
In essence, it is a top-of-the-table clash many years in the making.
Dunn came from a rugby union background and was brought up to have a low opinion of AFL.
But from his first training run with the Swans, a switch was flicked and "I probably knew I was gonna be in there for the long run".
"Yeah, it didn't take long to change my mind [about AFL]."
The 21-year-old - a centre half-back, typically - said he had improved "heaps" since his debut season. "Like, every year I just learn more and more ... from never playing the game to now, I feel like I've definitely come a long way."
The impact Dunn and the other 2018 rookies have had on the side "is definitely a great feeling", said the third-year chippy apprentice.
Swans president Josh McKenzie said Dunn was a "superb athlete" and a "determined and tough player".
Dunn, he continued, is "one of the new young wave that has really taken to the club" and "been a strong influence in setting high standards at matches and training".
"He covers an incredible amount of ground in a match," McKenzie said.
