Rock star players, margaritas, a blossoming romance: This footy team is the hottest ticket in town

2 days ago 4

Opinion

September 12, 2025 — 3.30pm

At the risk of offending North Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, the AFL Women’s competition finally has its first rock star team. This season, the turnstiles in Sydney are clicking faster than a Zippy Fish dash out of defence. The Swans are the hottest ticket in town.

It hasn’t happened by accident and there is a lot for other clubs, including big Victorian ones, to learn from what the Swans have done right.

Chloe Molloy’s Swans are the hottest ticket in town.

The average AFLW home-and-away crowd last year was 2600.

Already this season, the Swans have attracted more than 4000 fans to the iconic North Sydney Oval and pushed 5000 for their first home game at Henson Park, in Sydney’s inner west. They’re expecting more than 6000 for the Sydney derby against cross-town rivals GWS next weekend.

Other clubs can only dream about those numbers.

The Swans will play Collingwood on Saturday at the Magpies’ spiritual home, Victoria Park, which has drawn crowds of 1500 and 2700 for its first two home games.

North have assembled a team of highly skilled players and have won an extraordinary 16 games on the trot, but their best player, the exceptional Jas Garner, is an introvert who goes about her business in a way that can escape the notice of even the umpires who hand out votes. Crowds at Arden Street have been modest – 1931 for last weekend’s victory over the Pies.

Brisbane have built a dynasty under Craig Starcevich, but their success has come from having an even list with few standout stars. Crowds at Brighton Homes Arena, at Springfield, were 4208 in round one and 2805 in round three. Even the Crows, the most successful team in the decade-long history of AFLW, only attracted 1517 to Norwood Oval last weekend, for a grudge game against the Lions.

So, what have the Swans done well that every other team is struggling to do?

First, they have a marquee player. I’d argue Chloe Molloy’s impact on the club and the code in NSW has been as important as Lance Franklin and Tony Lockett on the men’s game in Sydney. The star forward is an entertainer. She thrives on the attention and expectation and has the flash and flair to deliver – knowing full well that’s what fans want and come to see.

Chloe Molloy soccers through a remarkable goal against Fremantle

Molloy is the leading goal kicker this season with 14 goals from four games. Last year, Geelong’s Aishling Moloney and Brisbane’s Taylor Smith won the goalkicking with 21. Molloy will pass that mark halfway through this season. Off-field she’s as comfortable engaging with the prime minister as she is with the water bottle carrier.

Second, the Swans are winning and they’re entertaining, playing a high-scoring brand of footy. Coach Scott Gowans has put together a team of stars. There are the Triple Ms: Molloy, young gun ruck Ally Morphett and former No.1 draft pick Montana Ham.

One of the best sights in footy is the towering blonde Morphett tapping the ball down to Montana, who uses her powerful frame to side-step defenders, explode out of the centre and hit Molloy on the chest. Toss in the best teenager in the nation – Zippy Fish - and you’ve got the right recipe for success, and possibly silverware this season.

Zippy Fish slips away from Hayley Miller.

Remember that name. Zippy Fish. It’s hard to forget. The 18-year-old Indigenous defender grew up in Newman, a town in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. She has stunned the women’s competition with her blistering pace off half-back. Fish has shown she’s tough to reel in, as she slips away from the opposition with ease.

And I couldn’t help but notice a Cathy Freeman-esque approach in how relaxed Zippy is. I asked her before her debut if she was nervous and she just shook her head and grinned, “nah”. After the game she was asked what was the hardest part about playing her first game. She thought for a second and said, “nothing.” If she was more relaxed she’d be sleeping.

So star players and winning helps. But that’s not all that sets the Swans apart from their rivals.

The Swans spend 100 per cent of the women’s soft cap. Other clubs don’t, and it shows. The cap of $1.175 million for football department spending on the women’s team has to go a long way, so imagine the stretch for the clubs that aren’t spending all of it. Carlton, for example, didn’t spend the full amount until this season.

The venue helps. Henson Park is smack bang in Sydney’s inner-west, a neighbourhood characterised by diversity, and the demographic AFLW appeals to – socially progressive, young and inclusive.

But again the Swans appear to spend more money on match day resources than any other team.

The hill opposite the grandstand acts as a natural amphitheatre. And on the outside edge, pop-up bars and food trucks enhance the picnic vibe. One boutique bar offers margaritas, another is dedicated to Aperol Spritz. You can even wine-taste before committing to your choice of vino, and hire a beach chair from which to sip it! The Swans understand their fans.

Then there is the emotional investment from the entire club. Spotted in the crowd last weekend was former coach John Longmire and former premiership stars Michael O’Loughlin (now a director) and Brett Kirk.

There’s plenty of crossover between the men’s and women’s programs (and even a blossoming romance between Laura Gardiner and Justin McInerney). Outgoing chief executive Tom Harley can often be seen on the bench helping out during the game. After their season opener, I walked past him an hour after the final siren helping young Swans employees dismantle a marquee.

Can every club honestly say they make the same investment, financial and emotional, in their W team?

This is a great weekend for the national comp - the biggest Q clash ever on Saturday night, and the Swans aiming to start the year with five straight wins. They’re setting a new benchmark, on and off the field.