Swans Inaugural AFLW team

Callipygian

Team Player
May 18, 2021
1,581
3,398
AFL Club
Sydney
I'm really impatient for our AFLW team (and have been for years now)! The team is going to be gathered and shaped this year although it remains to be seen how. But now is a great time to start talking about it.

So far all we know is that Kate Mahoney (pronounced Mar-nee) has been appointed as the 'Executive General Manager of AFLW' for the Swans: https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/vide...dal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1637295310001. She commenced at the club last month. I think it's great that she's a woman, especially as the chances of the coach being a woman are lower.

As yet we don't know what draft concessions we'll get, when the draft will be, who we might try to trade for, how much talent can come from NSW etc etc. There are a lot of unknowns that will hopefully become clearer as the year unfolds.

The next step will be to appoint a coach. The club has already run a recruitment process and made a shortlist. Kate Mahoney will get to input for the final selection. Presumably that will happen pretty soon.

After that I guess will be hiring recruiters to plan the list build, as well as other key off-field staff like physios and performance trainers etc.

I presume the club won't involve our AFLM list managers and recruiters in building the AFLW list - although they could be a valuable resource for the AFLW recruiters to pick the brains of.

Somewhere along the way they will also get going on the list build. I imagine it will be a mix of Academy talent, players poached from other clubs (whether by trade or after they are de-listed), other NSW players (e.g. from the Women's Premier League), and some players from completely different sporting backgrounds.

Some conversation starters:

* who should coach? Do others agree that the chance for the coach being a woman this time is less than it being a man?

* could Tallulah Kirk be in our inaugural team? I think she might be a top ager in the Academy - does anyone know?

* can we lure Jess Doyle and/or Georgie Fowler back into the fold from GWS? Do we want to? How have their form been? So far neither has gotten a senior game this season: https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/players/aflw/4310/jessica-doyle, https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/players/aflw/5664/georgina-fowler.

If anyone has intel about fixtures for the Swans Girls Academy team this year - please share with the rest of us! Could be a great chance to go and check out potential talent for our inaugural AFLW team.
 
Oct 9, 2001
18,059
15,823
2, 4, 6, 8
AFL Club
Sydney
* who should coach? Do others agree that the chance for the coach being a woman this time is less than it being a man?

It would not surprise me if the current coach of the academy team Jared Crouch is the first coach of the AFLW team as a way of providing a link between the academy side and the AFLW side considering the number of players the academy will provide the squad. Overall the club will pick the best person for the role regardless of their gender.

* could Tallulah Kirk be in our inaugural team? I think she might be a top ager in the Academy - does anyone know?

Tallulah is either 15 or 16 this year so would be in the Under 17 Academy group. So would be a few years away at least.

* can we lure Jess Doyle and/or Georgie Fowler back into the fold from GWS? Do we want to?

Yes, we will want them as they came through our academy. I expect the club to raid the Giants somewhat for NSW talent (which won't help either side in the short term it has to be said) and I would not be surprised if Charlie Rowbottom ends up at the club also.

Other names to look out for within our academy can be found here:

Dakota Mason was named to the 2022 AFL Academy so is the name to look out for from our academy this year:
 
As yet we don't know what draft concessions we'll get,
We have a fair idea:
Before the next draft, Sydney will be able to sign "Under-18 talent from their NGA region" (3* players if 2020 rules are repeated). For the draft itself, the article suggests you will have the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th... picks out of NSW.

*This number will depend on the rules for the draft proper, in terms of whether players from NSW will be able to nominate for a specific Swans or Giants zone (like the QLD draft) or whether it's a free-for-all (like the Vic and WA drafts).

who we might try to trade for,
players poached from other clubs (whether by trade or after they are de-listed)
The primary method of signing current players won't be via trade, it'll be via expansion free agency: any player who wants to leave their club and join the Swans, can do so unimpeded, even if that means breaking an existing contract. Trades will only come into it if the player is leaving a club that has already reached its quota of FA departures (which will probably be 8 for GWS and Adelaide, 4 for the rest).
 

Callipygian

Team Player
May 18, 2021
1,581
3,398
AFL Club
Sydney

Apart from giving the impression that we may well be interested in luring Jess Doyle back to the Swans, this article also provides some useful tidbits of information. It seems that players from the Swans and Giants' Academies:

"will take part in the upcoming AFLW Summer Series as the club looks to build their list ahead to joining the AFLW competition in 2022/23.

The series commencing next month will be made up of 120 athletes across four teams, with talent from the QBE Sydney Swans Academy and Giants Academy to also compete.

Following the Women’s Summer Series, the Sydney Swans will form an open training squad to take part in a series of matches in the lead up to the 2022 NAB AFLW Draft."
 

Callipygian

Team Player
May 18, 2021
1,581
3,398
AFL Club
Sydney
Jess Doyle is playing her first AFLW game for the Giants right now. Just the two disposals to half time but the Giants are well in front against the Dogs.
 

Callipygian

Team Player
May 18, 2021
1,581
3,398
AFL Club
Sydney
Jess Doyle is playing her first AFLW game for the Giants right now. Just the two disposals to half time but the Giants are well in front against the Dogs.
My mistake! She made her debut last week against the Kangas. But she's just kicked her second career goal in her second game.
 

Callipygian

Team Player
May 18, 2021
1,581
3,398
AFL Club
Sydney
On the other hand, Georgie Fowler did get her debut this week - another Sydney Swans Academy graduate that was snapped up by the Giants.
 
Oct 9, 2001
18,059
15,823
2, 4, 6, 8
AFL Club
Sydney
Scott Gowans has been appointed AFLW Senior Coach and Head of Women's Coaching Development.

Was previously the North Melbourne AFLW senior coach 2019-20 (11-3 record) and assistant coach both at Carlton and Collingwood AFLW teams.

Long history in Women's Football with the Dandenong Stringrays and Diamond Creek (where he won a Premiership)

Great appointment.

Also QBE officially are going to be the front of jumper sponsor for the AFLW team
 

Callipygian

Team Player
May 18, 2021
1,581
3,398
AFL Club
Sydney
Another piece of the puzzle falls into place: Pies assistant departs to become Sydney's inaugural AFLW coach. I've never heard of him before but he seems a really solid appointment given his depth and breadth of experience with women and girls. Love how he has good track record of coaching success and also experience building teams from nothing. Just what we need. Hope he forms an excellent partnership with Kate Mahoney.
 

Kiama Chris

Norm Smith Medallist
May 10, 2016
7,502
16,906
Kiama
AFL Club
Sydney
Another piece of the puzzle falls into place: Pies assistant departs to become Sydney's inaugural AFLW coach. I've never heard of him before but he seems a really solid appointment given his depth and breadth of experience with women and girls. Love how he has good track record of coaching success and also experience building teams from nothing. Just what we need. Hope he forms an excellent partnership with Kate Mahoney.
I get the sense that the Swans are building this to be successful, not just to participate. When Gowans left the Pies they replaced him with a part-timer who is already the assistant in men's. Big message in that.
The Swans carefully building from the top with people with appropriate experience and success plus from below with the Academy and Summer Series (with GWS) smacks of thoughtful planning.
Can't wait to see who we can get as assistants.
Also great to see how the club treats this as mainline communication. Creates a stronger presence and I think it shows in the membership numbers.
Well done so far.
 
Jun 2, 2014
21,782
55,139
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
The Rebel Alliance

Did like this part of the article..

Many Swans fans had wanted a female to lead their new women’s team, but Gowans said part of his remit was to bring through a generation of female coaches and wanted that to be his “legacy” in Sydney.
 
Last edited:
Charlie Rowbottom, the No.1 pick in last year’s draft, is expected to stay at Gold Coast rather than join her older brother James at Sydney.
Rowbottom has been more than just the no.1 pick in name--clear frontrunner atm for the Rising Star award this year imo. But I guess it was always going to be tough to get her to move to another state again so soon.

If ya can't get Rowbottom then, in more ways than one, it sounds like Rowe is the next best option...
Collingwood could meanwhile be hit reasonably hard with speedster Sarah Rowe being heavily courted by Sydney, who will be coached by former Magpies assistant Scott Gowans.

Irishwoman Rowe is understood to be one of the Swans’ key targets and is seriously considering a move to the Harbour City.
I believe Sarah Rowe is definitely marquee-worthy in an 18-club league (i.e. among the 36 most valuable AFLW players). Very good runner, very tidy by foot (sometimes can be a little too cute) and, best of all, still quickly improving at age 26 (27 in June) because of a late intro to the sport. Ideally she'd be the 2nd best midfielder in the team.
 
The Sydney Swans have wrapped up their AFLW signing period, locking in Alana Woodward and rookie signing Tiarne Cavanagh for the 2022/23 season.
 
Back