Training 2024 preseason

[Callipygian]

I feel like we need a thread dedicated to discussing our team (and possibly others) in the lead up to season 9. The following link has already been posted, possibly more than once, but belongs here too:

AFLW season start date confirmed, length TBC

The 2024 AFLW season will start in the last weekend of August, and is expected to be 11 rounds in length

www.afl.com.au

I think pre-season training officially begins 3 June 2024 but I have no doubt many (and probably most) of the players will be back in training before then if last season is any guide.

I saw a posse of about 10 AFLW players at the Swans unofficial practice match on Thursday, together with Aliesha Newman. Other players I saw included: Paige Sheppard, Aimee Whelan, Bella Smith, the Hamilton sisters and Mon Ham. They looked very casual and low key - might have been easy to miss them. So at least that many of them are around. They could be training at Swans HQ already for all I know, I reckon it's likely.

Not much more to report for now but I'm glad to have somewhere to post stuff about the team before the season begins.

 

[Kiama Chris]

I feel like we need a thread dedicated to discussing our team (and possibly others) in the lead up to season 9. The following link has already been posted, possibly more than once, but belongs here too:

AFLW season start date confirmed, length TBC

The 2024 AFLW season will start in the last weekend of August, and is expected to be 11 rounds in length

www.afl.com.au

I think pre-season training officially begins 3 June 2024 but I have no doubt many (and probably most) of the players will be back in training before then if last season is any guide.

I saw a posse of about 10 AFLW players at the Swans unofficial practice match on Thursday, together with Aliesha Newman. Other players I saw included: Paige Sheppard, Aimee Whelan, Bella Smith, the Hamilton sisters and Mon Ham. They looked very casual and low key - might have been easy to miss them. So at least that many of them are around. They could be training at Swans HQ already for all I know, I reckon it's likely.

Not much more to report for now but I'm glad to have somewhere to post stuff about the team before the season begins.

Well spotted. Hopefully the guys acknowledged them. Nice that the guys and girls support each other.

 

[Ticky009]

I'll ask Chief for a new Training Tag for the AFLW board.

And DONE - new prefix now added to the Board.

 

[Callipygian]

While I was at Swans HQ for the AGM I saw that on one of the screens above the indoor playing field they had a timetable about who is using the indoor field and when. And "AFLW" featured a number of times - so looks like some of them are already back training. Great stuff!

 

[Callipygian]

The girls are definitely back training in earnest. Pretty much all of them are here in Sydney, except for Brooke Lochland who is temporarily overseas for a mate's special occasion or something. They are gearing up to play in the VFLW. I'm not quite sure how that's going to work - how can we field an AFLW team in the VFLW? There's the potential for us to field literally our senior team but presumably that's not going to happen...? Would we basically field all the least senior players on our list who are fit but omit the likes of Molloy, McEvoy, Lochland etc??

Anyway, I have learned that they are going to play an intra-club scrimmage match on Tramway on Easter Monday. Unfortunately I'm not sure exactly what time, except it will be later arvo/evening.

 

[Ticky009]

The girls are definitely back training in earnest. Pretty much all of them are here in Sydney, except for Brooke Lochland who is temporarily overseas for a mate's special occasion or something. They are gearing up to play in the VFLW. I'm not quite sure how that's going to work - how can we field an AFLW team in the VFLW? There's the potential for us to field literally our senior team but presumably that's not going to happen...? Would we basically field all the least senior players on our list who are fit but omit the likes of Molloy, McEvoy, Lochland etc??

Anyway, I have learned that they are going to play an intra-club scrimmage match on Tramway on Easter Monday. Unfortunately I'm not sure exactly what time, except it will be later arvo/evening.

Yeah, I've got no clue who is in the VFLW team and I'm still a bit confused by the whole thing.

 

[Callipygian]

Something I've been wondering about - more on the development side of things than in recruitment - is the worth of the new Swans HQ. No doubt it can be relevant to recruiting but I wonder if the gap between the facilities the Swans AFLW team use compared to the facilities the rest of the AFLW teams use is a competitive advantage for us recruiting aside?

I think the women are using the same facilities as the men - which is not true at all AFL clubs. And I think our facilities have been described as at least the equal of any other footy club. From this I infer that, on average, the gap between the standard of facilities our AFLW players have access to compared to AFLW players at other clubs is bigger than if you make the same comparison between our AFL team and other AFL teams.

Given also that there is such a long pre-season, do you think this really gives us a significant opportunity to develop and improve our listed players more than other clubs? Watching us play in the VFLW this pre-season (against mostly non-AFLW listed players, it's true) I have been thinking we are stronger and fitter than the opposition and that our facilities may really help in building those standards.

 

[Ticky009]

Something I've been wondering about - more on the development side of things than in recruitment - is the worth of the new Swans HQ. No doubt it can be relevant to recruiting but I wonder if the gap between the facilities the Swans AFLW team use compared to the facilities the rest of the AFLW teams use is a competitive advantage for us recruiting aside?

I think the women are using the same facilities as the men - which is not true at all AFL clubs. And I think our facilities have been described as at least the equal of any other footy club. From this I infer that, on average, the gap between the standard of facilities our AFLW players have access to compared to AFLW players at other clubs is bigger than if you make the same comparison between our AFL team and other AFL teams.

Given also that there is such a long pre-season, do you think this really gives us a significant opportunity to develop and improve our listed players more than other clubs? Watching us play in the VFLW this pre-season (against mostly non-AFLW listed players, it's true) I have been thinking we are stronger and fitter than the opposition and that our facilities may really help in building those standards.

I think it was mentioned somewhere that the way the Swans integrate their teams was an attractive prospect. And that wasn't only in regards to HQ. But across the club.

 

[Callipygian]

I think it was mentioned somewhere that the way the Swans integrate their teams was an attractive prospect. And that wasn't only in regards to HQ. But across the club.

Absolutely. I've heard that too.

I see that as being more relevant to recruitment than development but it might help with development if the men and women are spending more time together and sharing their knowledge and experiences.

 

[SwansProudly]

Absolutely. I've heard that too.

I see that as being more relevant to recruitment than development but it might help with development if the men and women are spending more time together and sharing their knowledge and experiences.

Pardon my lack of Sydney geography, but I think it was a Montana Ham interview where many of those studying, walk to headquarters from on of the unis?

 

[Callipygian]

It's a long walk or a relatively short tram ride from UNSW to Swans HQ.

It's a slightly longer walk or a trickier public transport scenario from Sydney Uni. UTS is probably closest and you can walk/tram - or just cycle in 10 minutes or so.

 

[Kiama Chris]

It's a long walk or a relatively short tram ride from UNSW to Swans HQ.

It's a slightly longer walk or a trickier public transport scenario from Sydney Uni. UTS is probably closest and you can walk/tram - or just cycle in 10 minutes or so.

UNSW is closest by far. UTS and USYD same distance. Others much further.

 

[Callipygian]

UNSW is closest by far. UTS and USYD same distance. Others much further.

According to google they are 2.8, 3.0 and 3.4 KMs from Swans HQ (in the order UNSW, UTS, USyd). But if you're using public transport UNSW is by far the simplest.

 

[Kiama Chris]

According to google they are 2.8, 3.0 and 3.4 KMs from Swans HQ (in the order UNSW, UTS, USyd). But if you're using public transport UNSW is by far the simplest.

Also depends where you are on campus too. I was in App Sci right near Anzac Pde. If you were in Med Sci it was 2km further. Similar issues with the other two. Long, long time ago.

 

[SwansProudly]

According to google they are 2.8, 3.0 and 3.4 KMs from Swans HQ (in the order UNSW, UTS, USyd). But if you're using public transport UNSW is by far the simplest.

Sydney and UNSW have sponsorship agreement(and 14 players enrolled)

Review - 2023 (Season 8) Swans AFLW Discussion

Well, we're in the 8 baby! After our historic first win, let's enjoy it while it lasts. 😊 It may not last too long - we play ladder leaders Geelong next week. Scott Gowan said that the indicator of our improvement will not be our first win, or our second win, but the gap between them. He...

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