AFLW: What Sydney Swans want from marquees, seasoned players in inaugural season

Cross coders are out but rising stars and marquees with very specific skills on and off the field are on the hit list of the Sydney Swans ahead of their inaugural AFLW season.

Young Sydney Swans hopefuls competing in the recent Summer Series,

The foundations are there with 10 young guns signed but the key piece of the puzzle - finding and enticing AFLW players and two marquees to Sydney - is still a work in progress for the Sydney Swans

With half their squad now publicly and privately confirmed, coach Scott Gowans is on the hunt for AFLW experience and a couple of superstars capable of making season 2022 memorable.

But the new coach said time is of an essence with the clock counting down to the seventh season expected to be played out from August.

The premiership cup at the 2022 AFLW grand final between the Adelaide Crows and the Melbourne Demons.

The Swans, Essendon, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide will be included in the upcoming season which will see all 18 AFL clubs represented in the AFLW for the first time.

“I’m happy, the foundation are in place, now we are scouting for the superstars and to finish off the built with marquee players,” said Coogee based Gowans.

But the coach doesn’t just want any marquee player - he has ones with very specific skills in mind and who are keen to embrace a sea-change.

The Swans will share the Sydney market with the established GWS club.

“The marquees are key for us,” he said. “They have to be people who will build and drive our culture.

“Leadership is crucial and they must be consistently good with the ability to lead and drive the players. Potentially an older player.

“We have some people in mind. We are in the interview process.

“We need them in five weeks until December and they are relocating. It’s a permanent move … we want them living and breathing it.”

Gowans said having the season moving from an expected December/January start to August has made snaring talent difficult but he has 10 open signings done - along with five ALFW ones he cant yet announce - with 15 sports still to fill.

“At the half way point I’m very happy. The next three to four weeks, when we get the rules, will be the key,’’ said Gowans who has ruled out cross-coders for the upcoming season.

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Originally published as AFLW: What Sydney Swans want from marquees, seasoned players in inaugural season