THERE'S a fair bit happening in Hayden McLean's footy world at the minute.

The 24-year-old Victorian is enjoying his breakout AFL season in 2023 but is still to sign on as a Swan for next season and beyond.

And after being forced to go the long way round to just get on an AFL list, he will bring up game No.50 in the big time on Saturday afternoon at the SCG against Gold Coast.

After just 31 games in his four seasons prior to this one, McLean has played in 18 of the Swans' 20 outings this season.

He has been entrusted with the chief ruck responsibilities in recent weeks and produced arguably his best performance in the red and the white in Saturday night's derby triumph over the Giants, with four goals and a crucial assist for Chad Warner late on that sealed the win.

Alongside Logan McDonald and Joel Amartey, McLean is part of a burgeoning key forward triumvirate at the Swans that looms as a pillar of their post Lance Franklin era.

But with just three rounds left of the regular season, a new deal is yet to be struck.

"I love the club and the boys here so that's up to the manager, he's talking to the club at the moment. I'm just focused week in, week out on putting in the best performance I can to help," McLean said.

"They've given me the opportunity, they took the risk on me early days so it's good to repay them."

McLean is looming as another draft steal for the Swans after being nabbed as a pre-season pick in 2019 from South Adelaide.

He played a season of VFL in 2018 after missing the draft the year before and after being overlooked for a second time later in that season, his hopes of an AFL chance were slipping.

A move to the SANFL in the pre-season of 2019 was made to keep his AFL dream alive and Sydney’s call to take him when others declined is now looking like a very shrewd one.

"Playing consistently this year, I've given myself the confidence and the boys around me the confidence that I can play at this level and have an impact. This year's been a big step, I've had a few good games here and there in other years but putting it together has given me that confidence.

"I've always had that self-belief, I've just needed the opportunities.

"I've probably had a different pathway to most coming through, I had the alternative through the VFL and a longer path so it's a big achievement (reaching 50 games) for myself and my family to get here."

McLean's emergence as a genuine ruck option at the Swans has been a boost for John Longmire and his coaching staff as they look to lock down a consistent performer in such a key position.

McLean looms as more a second ruck option and forward 50 target in the long term, but being called upon to take the lead ruck responsibilities at times has enhanced his stocks at the Swans.

"It definitely gave me confidence. To have that opportunity to take the No.1 role against big dominant ruckmen has been good for myself. Earning that trust within the club as well has been really good."

But it's as a forward, in what's now a more unpredictable attacking group for the Swans after Franklin's retirement, where McLean struck against GWS and he admits it's hard to know where the true focal point of the Swans attack lies.

"As a forward line in general we've got six out there that can kick goals pretty quickly. Will Hayward, Heeney and Paps (Tom Papley) you've got multiple options so it can be anyone's days. We've got different looks so that's a real threat for us," he said.

"It's just about playing to my strengths. I'm not the most athletic but it's just being the contested forward that I am and then working with other forwards and being smart about leading patterns. Buddy's (as a mentor) been really big on that."

Another four points on Saturday against the Suns would make it five wins in a row for the Swans and that brings back memories of last season, where they won nine in a row to make the Grand Final.

McLean was the surprise selection for the axed Logan McDonald for the humiliating clash with the Cats, despite playing just eight games previously for the year.

"It was a bit of a whirlwind of a week, finding out you're playing. Looking back, it's something I'll take some experience out of and a learning curve and I think the team as a young group now we've had the experience we can learn from that," he said.

"There's always confidence in the group, doing it last year, we know we can do it."