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Lance Franklin says his injury-marred start to the AFL season was frustrating but Sydney will take a lot of confidence from a win over the reigning premiers.

Lance Franklin was thrilled to find form after a frustrating start to the AFL season but it is Sydney's spread of contributors that has the superstar pondering "who knows what can happen" after the bye.

Franklin, having started 2019 with 14 goals from seven games, booted five goals to help the Swans beat West Coast by 45 points on Sunday.

It was a remarkable result for several reasons.

John Longmire's team had one fit man on the bench for the second half but still finished more strongly than the reigning premiers.

Franklin, Tom Papley and Sam Reid combined for 13 goals in a winning score of 18.8 (116).

It had been a year since Sydney enjoyed such a productive outing, while it was their highest score at the SCG since they embarrassed Essendon in week one of the 2017 finals.

"It's really important we have different avenues to goal, different threats," Franklin said.

"For him (Papley) to have kicked over 20 goals already, going into the bye, is a super effort."

Franklin also praised Sydney's on-song midfielders.

"We just have to maintain that after the break and who knows what can happen," he said.

"It really shows a lot of character for us to grind out a win and score over 100 points with three down on the bench, it's an amazing effort.

"We'll take a lot of confidence from that."

Franklin made a mockery of West Coast's defence and anybody questioning whether the four-time Coleman medallist was past his best at age 32, having nine scoring shots while dishing off two goals to Papley.

The gun forward underwent off-season groin surgery and then missed rounds six to nine because of a hamstring injury but is now feeling fresh.

"It's been an up and down season ... a frustrating season. Obviously I didn't have a pre-season," Franklin said.

"Getting on the track (and training) for the last couple of weeks, you get confidence from that ... the body is holding up well.

"There's never any pressure from the footy club. John (Longmire) is really good like that."

Sydney will face Franklin's former side Hawthorn at the SCG in round 14 before they tackle Gold Coast at the same venue the following week in what would be the star forward's 300th AFL game.

The Swans, now 4-8, sit two wins and percentage outside the top eight.

Co-captain Josh Kennedy, speedster Zak Jones and former skipper Kieren Jack are among the Swans' injured players set to return after the bye.

"They'll win a lot more games than they lose in the second half of the year," Eagles coach Adam Simpson said.