The 2023 NAB AFLW season is proving to be a thrilling display of close wins and resilience as the Sydney Swans look to put their second win on the board. Ahead of Round 3 against the Brisbane Lions - our first official match in Queensland - assistant coach Tanya Hetherington has provided insight into team preparations. 

Round 2 proved to be a tough match against Geelong. What were the positives to come out of the game?

There were plenty of positives to come out of the game against Geelong. They are a quality side and we were 32 points down early in the second quarter but the girls dug in and managed to get the game back on their terms at times, and generated plenty of opportunities. After quarter time it was 5.7 to 5.8 so it was a very even contest and the girls can take plenty of confidence going forward knowing they can match it with the best teams.

What needs to be improved between now and Sunday?

Goal kicking! Unfortunately we couldn’t take our chances in front of the big sticks, but on the flip side, the opportunities are there and we will keep looking to improve on our accuracy.

Who stood out in Round 2?

There were a couple of pleasing performances, I have to give a shoutout to my namesake in Tanya Kennedy. She was able to do a job on Georgie Prespakis after quarter time and keep her relatively quiet, after having never played midfield before. She’s a really dependable and fierce player and she did a wonderful job for the team.

What do you make of the Brisbane Lions?

Brisbane are another quality outfit, they have been a top team for a number of seasons with a lot of seasoned bodies.

What’s the message to players ahead of Round 3?

The message for the players will be similar to Geelong; that our brand of football has shown it can stack up against quality opponents and we will be looking for a 4-quarter performance this week.