The Sydney Swans are in final preparations to take on the Brisbane Lions on the road this Sunday. An eight-person bench has been named ahead of the match with the final team to be confirmed at 5:00pm on Friday. 

Among the inclusions are Laura Gardiner and Julie O'Sullivan who were tests for the weekend after sustaining injury in Round 6B and Round 7 respectively.

Young guns Sofia Hurley, Montana Ham and co-captain Lucy McEvoy are also named in the squad. 

AFLW senior coach Scott Gowans will be looking to put his best team forward to take on the reigning premiers. The Lions are expected to be dangerous on their home ground of Brighton Homes Arena and have conceded just two matches this season. 

Speaking in his weekly press conference, Gowans says his side will be looking to take the game head on. 

“We've taken the approach that it's just another challenge for us and the expectation from our perspective is to win," he said. 

"I’s a great opportunity to get the learnings out of out of the game that you're going to get out of playing the Premier and it's their home ground. We've got nothing to lose and we just go up there full of hope."

Round 9 and 10 of the 2024 NAB AFLW season also marks Indigenous Round with this year's theme, 'Spirit Strong, Game On'. It celebrates the enduring spirit and significant contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, and their impact on the game.

The team will run out in a new Marn Grook guernsey designed by Lua Pellegrini to honour the occasion. She designed the Marn Grook guernsey worn by the Sydney Swans men’s team in 2022 and 2023, and becomes the first artist to have designed a Marn Grook guernsey for both Swans teams.

The team will return to home territory in Round 10 to close out the season with a match against the West Coast Eagles. The club will celebrate Indigenous Round at Henson Park in the heart of Marrickville on Saturday, November 2 at 3:05pm.