For all the machinations at AFL HQ, sometimes things just fall into place for a league bent on pushing its cause beyond the Barassi Line.

Ordinarily Adam Goodes standing down as co-captain of the reigning premiers would have caused AFL bigwigs some degree of concern.

Goodes is a genuine superstar – an indigenous icon – face of the game throughout Australia.

What separates Goodes from others of that ilk is that he’s a Sydney figure. While most AFL players enjoy unfettered anonymity in the harbour city, Goodes is recognised throughout.

In a city that’s never wholly adopted the sport, it’s an incredibly rare commodity. Just ask Israel Folau.

With Folau gone and Goodes 33, the AFL needed a new figurehead in Sydney.

Instead of shelling out millions for another poster boy who doesn’t want to be there, the Swans have sent the profile of Kieren ‘local boy makes good’ Jack booming.

Jack’s promotion to co-captaincy, a succession every bit as smooth as John Longmire taking over from Paul Roos, is the AFL’s good-news story in an off-season that has been dearly lacking.

You suspect if AFL chief Andrew Demetriou were to pen a fairytale for the sport’s promotion in NSW, it might go something like Jack’s past 10 years.

Son of Garry, Balmain rugby league legend and formidable fullback for NSW and Australia, he took to kicking Sherrins instead of passing Steedens at age 15.

“I loved the open spaces of AFL. That was what brought me in,” he said.

Told he had taken the game up too late, Jack persevered and landed a spot on the Swans’ rookie list in 2005.

Years of toil resulted in a best and fairest, then a premiership. Now he’s one of two leaders at the club.

The other? Jarrad McVeigh – another local who happened to play at Jack’s junior club, Pennant Hills.