Sydney’s Chief Executive and Managing Director Andrew Ireland hopes the Swans will be in a position to announce plans for a new training and administration facility during 2018.

The facilities challenge extends to physical training grounds, with the Swans this week training on synthetic turf in Lane Cove – a surface which could help solve part of that challenge for junior and community clubs.

Sydney is continuing to work closely with the AFL to secure a new AFL ground in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Ireland said it’s a pressing issue and one that will require a large investment.

“It is probably our biggest project and we have been working really hard in that area,” Ireland said.

“As we have been open with our members and supporters about, we need a new training and administration base, it is probably going to cost the best part of $50 million.

“We are hopeful that sometime during this upcoming year we will be able to announce what we are going to do.

“Currently we have our Academy and sales team not based here with us at our main facility because we have run out of room.

“We need to do this as it is a really important thing for the Club, and if we do it well, we will set the Swans up for the future.”

Ireland revealed there were three or four grounds that were currently being explored for potential redevelopment in order to host more elite level AFL matches.

“There is no ground closer than Blacktown where an AFLW team could play, where we could play JLT games or where our Club could play NEAFL games,” he said.

“We have been working really closely with the AFL and AFL NSW about trying to find extra grounds in the east.

“We think there are some real opportunities there, so there is a lot of work being done behind the scenes to try and do that.”