Sydney Swans bolter Laura Gardiner rewarded with multi-year deal after huge breakout season

Laura Gardiner got traded and then became one of the best players in AFLW this season - now she’s been rewarded with a huge deal. Details here, plus the teammate that also signed on.

Laura Gardiner of the Swans celebrates with team mates during the round five AFLW match between Carlton Blues and Sydney Swans at Ikon Park, on September 29, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Laura Gardiner traded both her jumper and Geelong’s Eastern Beach for Bondi just nine months ago – now she’ll be a Swan for at least the next four seasons.

This masthead can reveal that Sydney AFL Women’s bolter Gardiner, 21, has re-signed on a multi-year deal, with AFLW players now unrestricted on deal length as has been the case in previous years.

The best and fairest winner was also joined in scrawling the pen by teammate and Sydney’s best finals player Brenna Tarrant, who has signed on for another two seasons.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else and I’m just so excited to continue our journey and grow,” Gardiner said.

“I think we have a really good pathway that we want to follow and I’m excited to see where we can end up.

Gardiner has been rewarded after a stellar season at Sydney. Picture: Getty Images

“I loved my first year (here). Personally, I learned a lot and grew a lot throughout the season … we all did. It was just a great season and I think we’re all really happy with the pathway we’re going (on).”

Sydney was winless in its inaugural season in the second half of 2022, before playing in a semi-final this year.

Gardiner spent four seasons at Geelong, where she played 18 games – starting on the bench for all of them.

But after being traded to Sydney in March, she has earned All-Australian selection and finished second in the AFLW Coaches’ award.

Tarrant described her as a “star”, which didn’t exactly sit easily with the midfielder.

“Definitely don’t love the attention,” Gardiner laughed.

“But it’s a big honour when you have players that look up to you, knowing that I’ve come from probably being a more quiet player to becoming something a bit more important, it’s a good personal achievement but it’s also good to know that your teammates look up to you and that you add value to the team in every aspect that you can.

Brenna Tarrant, left, has also signed on. Picture: Getty Images

“We all push each other so hard and that goes to show in the off-season, pre-season and in the season.”

Tarrant – a lifelong Sydney supporter – said to have signed on for a further two seasons “means the absolute world”.

“I’d like to think I bleed red and white a little bit – my whole family supports (the Swans), my cousins wore the guernseys to school every single day and I did the same growing up,” she said.

“I’m in absolute awe of the club and can’t believe I’m wearing the guernsey for another few years.”

Originally published as Sydney Swans bolter Laura Gardiner rewarded with multi-year deal after huge breakout season