South Australian Hayward shone in his first two seasons as a Swan, becoming the 11th quickest player in the AFL era to reach 50 goals.

But his fitness and form took a turn for the worse in 2019.

He suffered a broken jaw in a round-three collision with Carlton's Kade Simpson which put him out for three games.

The 187cm-Hayward kicked 2.1 in his first game back, but managed just 5.14 over the next nine matches and ended his campaign by going goalless for three successive matches for the first time in his AFL career.

A hip issue then forced him out of Sydney's last five fixtures and he finished with an unflattering season haul of 12.16.

Asked if his problems were fitness-related, technical or confidence issues, the 21-year-old Hayward said it was a bit of everything.

"I'm not too sure, I don't actually have a proper answer for that.

"I was just a bit off last year and my goal kicking especially, I was definitely aware of it.

"But I've done a fair bit of work with Stevie, he's obviously kicked a fair few goals (516) in his time, so I've got a fair few tips off him.

"And I'm feeling a lot more comfortable, I see it as a strength of my game, my goalkicking, taking opportunities when they come so I need to really make the most of those opportunities."

Hayward kicked 2.0 in the Swans' first-round away clash with Adelaide.

He said the advice from Swans' forwards coach and Geelong triple premiership player Johnson centred on getting the basics right.

'When you have a few games and not kicking as well as you like that might linger, so it's just about doing what you do and kicking through the football and things like that, so I'm not worried about that at all," he said.

Another plus for Hayward was having his longest pre-season since joining the Swans.

"Still a little bit monitored here and there but it's the most training I've probably done since I've been here," he said.

Australian Associated Press