Senior coach Scott Gowans took a breath as he reflected on the 2023 AFLW season. Speaking to Sydney Swans Media just days after a Semi Final loss in Adelaide, Gowans spoke with immense pride.
“It’s been a great journey, and it’s one of those seasons I’ll look back on how quickly we opened the door business,” he said.
In the 2023 pre-season star players such as Laura Gardiner, Chloe Molloy and Lucy McEvoy were recruited to bolster the young line up alongside a host of Irish imports.
After a winless inaugural year pressure was mounting on the new look side ahead of Round 1 where the red and white would come up against cross-town rivals GWS Giants. A late surge in the second half of the game saw the Sydney Swans triumph with their first ever win, and on home territory too.
For the likes of Tanya Kennedy and Lucy McEvoy it was a season highlight.
“There have been a lot of highlights but that first win was massive,” Kennedy said in an exit interview.
McEvoy agreed adding “so much work went into it.”
“To see what it meant to so many people was great to see,” the co-captain and defender said. “To be part of it, I reckon it would be one of my favourite footy moments to this date.”
For Gowans, the historic first win at North Sydney Oval was the “catalyst” for a hugely successful season, which would eventually see the team make finals.
“We wanted to see how we went under that pressure, and we were able to showcase that and cope with it, then get the points in the end.
“That really drove us into the season and being able to put up with pressure from other sides.”
While Round 1 was crucial to the team’s momentum, it was a gutsy second win in hot conditions over the West Coast Eagles that showed resilience in the young side.
“We really wanted to nail the second which to me was the most special win,” Gowans noted.
“To be able to do that just a few weeks after playing Geelong and Brisbane, two tough games in Round 2 and Round 3, that’s when I thought, ‘Here we go’.”
A spirited home crowd – one that drove the highest average attendance across the season – and loyal travelling fans was also praised for Sydney’s success across the season. Including a Round 9 triumph over Collingwood, and an Elimination Final win against the Gold Coast Suns.
Co-captain Molloy says the support was not only a win for the team, but a win for the whole club.
“I just remember the group of members, fans, loved ones that had come out to support us and hearing the Sydney chant,” Molloy recalled at the conclusion of the season.
Despite going down to a seasoned side in the Adelaide Crows, Gowans is already looking at how the team can take their success to the next level in 2024.
“It’s not about winning premierships, it’s about being competitive all the time and letting the results take care of themselves,” he stated. “That’s really our mantra.”
The coach spotlighted inaugural players Sofia Hurley, Brenna Tarrant and Ally Morphett (who placed second in the 2023 Rising Star Award) for standout seasons, and is looking forward to another year of growth.
“We have a bit of work to do with our ball movement and decision making…team defence, stopping the opposition and momentum. We’ll work on that over the summer.”
Gowans was awarded the AFL Coaches Association AFLW Senior Coach of the Year Sward this week recognising his outstanding achievements for 2023. It is one of a handful of accolades for the women’s side this week which also saw Molloy, Gardiner and Morphett named All-Australians.
