Sydney AFLW coach Scott Gowans says the upcoming practice matches will reward players for their off-season training.

The Swans AFLW squad will take part in three practice matches as part of optional training from the end of April and into the start of May.

Gowans said the optional training and games will break up the training players will do throughout the off-season. 

"The main thing is just to give the girls a reward for training, and there's nothing worse than running round an oval and doing it yourself, so they've got the option to do it together, and most of them have taken up that option," Gowans said.

"Now they get to play a game, similar with the other clubs as well so it also gives a little chance for the new players to be able to integrate with the others and just give a little taste of what's to come."

With only 12 AFLW players allowed to be fielded each game, Gowans said players will be rotated across the four games to ensure everyone gets a run.  

"We'll just rotate them through, they've got a plan for the four weeks, so they know when they're playing, when they're not, subject to injuries, obviously, and illness and different things," Gowans said.

"There's basically a rotation plan, and each player will play at least one or two games, no one will play all four, and then we top them up with some Academy kids, which is exciting, they get their opportunity, and then a couple of train ons."

This weekend, the Sydney Swans will come up against the Adelaide Crows at Tramway Oval from 11am.

Swans fans will be able to see new faces in action for the first time, including Zipporah Fish, Caitlin Reid and Jasmine Grierson as well as experienced players in Montana Ham and Cynthia Hamilton.

Gowans said he was excited by what he had seen from the players so far and looked forward to seeing the players in action. 

"It's hard to tell without doing testing and things like that, but just from the coach's eyes, Zippy Fish's ball use is amazing, Cynthia Hamilton seems to have gone to a new level, and then Mon Ham, she looks strong and we'll put her in the midfield and see how she goes in there," Gowans said.

"These matches are all about just starting to get connected and bonded together, and the results don't count for anything, so just to have a bit of fun and advance their training towards the pre-season."

The first practice match will take place this Saturday, April 12 against the Adelaide Crows at Tramway Oval, kicking off at 11:00am.

All games will be free to attend. 

Can't make it to the game? Be sure to follow the Sydney Swans AFLW squad on socials to keep up with the action on Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok. 

Official pre-season training is set to begin on Monday, May 19 ahead of the 2025 NAB AFLW season starting in August.