Training Off-season & pre-season 2024/5

[Callipygian]

I have gleaned a few useful tidbits - enough, hopefully, to kick off this thread to carry us through the next 6+ quiet months.

1. Currently the AFLW players have resumed training - but not formally or together because they are in a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) "blackout" period. During this period they continue to come in and use the gym at Swans HQ.

2. The playing group is likely to come back to start training as a group in February - long before the official start of pre-season in May. I'm uncertain of the exact date but it will be the week commencing 10 February.

3. They expect to play in the VFLW again in 2025 and they thought it was valuable experience in 2024.

4. The playing group was naturally disappointed in their 2024 season and learned how they rely a lot on relatively few 'star' players. There is excitement for the arrival of new players.

 

[Callipygian]

While official pre-season doesn't start until May, I'm pretty sure unofficial 'voluntary' training for Swans W players begins this week but I don't know for sure which day. Obviously they won't be there at the same times as the blokes (generally Monday/Wednesday/Friday mornings. They also have to coordinate with all the Academy teams.

I'm excited for W this year. I think our team is gradually getting stronger (as is the competition, no doubt). Also, I don't feel nearly as welcome when I attend men's training these days. I almost wonder whether there's been some directive to be cautious about engagement with fans because I felt they were a lot less friendly and willing to talk recently. I've never had that impression with W staff.

 

[Callipygian]

The women are back and training. There are also a number of videos on Swans AFLW Insta but I'm not on social media so maybe someone who is (Adnico26Parker ?) might be able to post them here.

I watched them doing some training in Swans HQ either side of stopping by the men's training session this morning. They started doing weights and then they were training on the indoor area. There were a number of new players there, perhaps including women other than the 8 new recruits. They weren't all wearing their own numbers and some numbers were worn by more than one player which made it tricky to figure out who was who. Even when there were players that I was moderately confident I had identified (Moloney, van Loon, Reid etc) I wasn't quick enough, or didn't remember well enough to clock their numbers.

One player I didn't see was Zippy Fish. But I think I may have glimpsed her on something on Insta so she may have arrived. (This period until May is a 'voluntary' training period and players don't have to be here.)

I think Pullar may be #12. #1 might be Brown - she looked a little lackadaisical compared to the other players training doing one of the exercises. Reid might be #21.

I tried pulling up pictures of the new players on my phone to help me with identification but it didn't work because the AFLW player profiles haven't been updated and when I pulled up articles on the new recruits I couldn't see the images due to the fact that they were pictures from Insta and the settings on my phone. A little bit frustrating.

Anyway, great to see THEY'RE BACK! Really excited for this season. Hope we can play finals and really keep building the team. Pity the season start is such a long way off.

 

[SwansProudly]

 

[Callipygian]

Good demonstration of how some players are wearing their actual numbers and others are not. That looks like McEvoy wearing 25 and Cynthia Hamilton wearing #16. But Moy has her #5 and Collier #14. I can't tell who is wearing #1 but that looks like Reid wearing #13. Could that be Fish in the background on the right in the picture where Reid is standing the mark and Collier is in the left of frame?

 

[Ticky009]

 

[liz]

Scratch match plans cool as clubs grapple with off-season plans

A proposed series of scratch matches between non-Victorian AFLW teams is unlikely to go ahead as clubs grapple with how to best utilise the state leagues

www.afl.com.au

This article illustrates the inconsistencies across the league as clubs approach the pre-season official start.

It notes that we won't be playing any VFL games this season, and also reports that the likelihood of scratch matches against other non-Victorian sides is looking less and less likely.

 

[Callipygian]

I was very keen to get to Fan Day on the weekend and talk to some of the W players, but it wasn't to be. Did anyone else talk to any of them? Learn anything? I'm still keen to pin down their jumper numbers.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

The Sydney Swans AFLW squad will take part in practice matches as a part of optional training from the end of April and into the start of May

AFLW practice matches announced ahead of pre-season

The Sydney Swans AFLW squad will take part in practice matches as a part of optional training from the end of April and into the start of May.

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Ticky009]

Still puts us behind the 8ball vs VFL games for match fitness etc.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Still puts us behind the 8ball vs VFL games for match fitness etc.

Hopefully we will embarrass the AFL into listening and acting.