The Sydney Swans are a year out from their first appearance in the AFLW but the red and white faithful are already strongly showing their support for the Swans women's team.

The AFL have today released the league AFLW membership numbers and despite not entering the competition yet, Sydney Swans currently lead the overall 2022 AFLW Club membership tally with 3,501 members, with a record-breaking 33,577 AFLW Club members signing up for season 2022.

Sydney Swans CEO Tom Harley said it was fantastic to see the excitement from the Sydney Swans family around the incoming AFLW side.

"Within weeks of launching our AFLW foundation memberships, we have had more than 3000 fans sign up, many of them new to the club," Harley said.

“Right across the Swans community, there is great excitement about our journey into AFLW.

"From our members, fans, players, staff and corporate partners, the momentum is really building. We can’t wait to be part of it next season,” he said.  

Last month, the club made its first key appointment in preparation for the inaugural AFLW season with Kate Mahony named Executive General Manager-AFLW.

Mahony brings extensive experience as a leader in high performance sport at national and international level and has held numerous leadership roles in women's sport.

“It is a really unique opportunity to be there from the start and set the foundations for an elite, high performing AFLW program,” Mahony said.

“I am passionate about women’s sport and incredibly excited for the challenge of helping build an AFLW program and culture that supports athletes reach their potential and perform at their very best.  

“AFLW has been a game changer for women’s sport and there is clearly great excitement building around the Swans inaugural AFLW season. We want to build a successful team that inspires the next generation of female footballers and athletes in New South Wales.  

“There is plenty of work to be done before that first game and I am very much looking forward to getting started,” she said.  

Meanwhile, on the field, the Swans will commence their search for the most talented female footballers across NSW and ACT to be part of the AFLW program in the future in the Women's Summer Series which will commence February 2022.

The series 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.