Sydney Swans AFLW Team Sets to Face St Kilda with New Additions

The Sydney Swans AFLW team will travel to RSEA Park on Sunday to face the St Kilda Saints in Round 2 of the 2024 season. Following their successful Round 1 victory against Collingwood, the Swans look to maintain their momentum with the introduction of two new players.

Coach Scott Gowans has announced that 19-year-old Lara Hausegger will make her AFLW debut in the upcoming match. Hausegger, who joined the Swans after being selected with pick 33 in the 2023 AFLW Draft, previously played in the VFLW for Collingwood and captained the Oakleigh Chargers to a premiership.

In addition to Hausegger, Julie O’Sullivan will also return to the lineup for her first appearance in 2024. Maddy Collier will be absent due to concussion, and Kiara Hillier has been omitted from the side.

Gowans expressed his excitement for Hausegger’s debut, citing her development during the pre-season, stating, “She is tough, tenacious, and thinks about the game really well, and is a really good rebound defender. We’re looking forward to seeing her in action.” He also noted O’Sullivan’s importance in reinforcing the defense.

The St Kilda Saints enter this matchup with confidence, having recorded a noteworthy 54-point victory over the Gold Coast Suns in their opening match. Both teams had similar seasons in 2023, with Sydney narrowly edging out St Kilda for a spot in the finals based on percentage.

Gowans acknowledged the Saints’ impressive performance and noted that it has been quite some time since the two teams last faced each other. The previous encounter took place in August 2022, where the Saints emerged victorious by 29 points.

<p"We want to play our footy and take our game to them and see where it goes," Gowans stated, recognizing the challenge presented by St Kilda's strong showing under coach Nick Dal Santo. "There's an element of wanting to get the job done but it’s one we are going to have to fight for." The final team lineup will be announced on Friday evening at 5pm.