The Sydney Swans have unveiled a statue outside their new HQ, recognising one of their greats, Adam Goodes, in one of his proudest moments.

Keeping it very hush-hush, the reveal came before the Swans face Carlton for Marn Grook at the SCG, an annual occasion during Sir Doug Nicholls Round, on Friday night.

The statue depicts Goodes' famous war cry after kicking a goal in the corresponding match in 2015.

The celebration was met with the some of the same backlash the two-time Brownlow medallist had copped in the final seasons of his career, a stained period which ultimately led to his retirement and self-distancing from the game.

Now, the moment takes a proud stance - as proud as Goodes was eight years ago.

Adam Goodes has been immortalised with an incredible sculpture outside of Sydney Swans HQ.

Thank you for everything, Goodsey.#GoSwans pic.twitter.com/rNf0uAsZBx

— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) May 26, 2023

"That was ... something which I'd never done before, and that is to go on the biggest stage, a football field, and do a dance and celebrate my culture and Indigenous rounds," Goodes told NITV.

"Being an Indigenous person, that would be a safe place to celebrate my culture."

"Hopefully it (the statue) really symbolises for our young people to continue to celebrate our culture, no matter what stage you've got," he said.

"We should be proud of who we are, where we come from.

"We need our young people to keep being inspired by those people in our communities because it's up to us to raise ourselves."

The sculpture was created by Cathy Weiszmann with Goodes' input, and unveiled with current Sydney AFL and AFLW players, Indigenous Swans from teams gone by, and representatives from Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin's GO Foundation.