By Sophie Taylor
The NSW Swifts are the epitome of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
Little changes have been made to the Swifts’ lineup since their maiden SSN premiership in 2019, maintaining the bulk of their playing group including key fixtures in all areas of the court.
While they were forced into at least one change at the end of 2023 with the departure of a versatile midcourter to the newly coined Melbourne Mavericks, the Swifts look remarkably unchanged in comparison to the rest of the competition.
Five of the club's main cohort have signed until 2026, as they look to build on their positive 2023 season with another premiership stint.
Here’s a brief run through on the Swifts' signing period.
Ins
Sam Wallace (Injury)
Lili Gorman-Brown (Elevated Training Partner)
Outs
Tayla Fraser (Melbourne Mavericks)
Romelda Aiken-George (Adelaide Thunderbirds)
Goal shooter Sam Wallace will return to the court after two seasons away with injury.2024 Squad
Shooters
Sam Wallace
Helen Housby
Sophie Fawns
Midcourters
Paige Hadley
Maddy Proud
Allie Smith
Lili Gorman-Brown
Defenders
Sarah Klau
Maddy Turner
Teigan O’Shannassy
Predicted Starting Seven
GS: Sam Wallace
GA: Helen Housby
WA: Paige Hadley
C: Maddy Proud
WD: Allie Smith
GD: Maddy Turner
GK: Sarah Klau
The Swifts' greatest asset this year is their consistency in comparison to other clubs.
The imminent return of Trinidad and Tobago goal shooter Sam Wallace will prove a big celebration following two seasons on the sidelines due to injury.
Despite time away from the court, Wallace has played a key role within the Swifts’ playing and coaching groups in recent seasons and will look to return to her aerial and game-winning ways this year.
Wallace’s combination with England Rose, Helen Housby, was one to watch prior to injury, making for an exciting circle in 2024 as the two reunite on the SSN stage.
Housby had an outstanding 2023, displaying her smarts and willingness to take the game on week in, week out, and proving more accurate than ever.
Do not be surprised to see plenty of goal circle rotations from head coach Briony Akle, with young gun Sophie Fawns well and truly proving herself in Wallace’s absence, combining effortlessly with Housby and boasting an innate accuracy from long range.
With Wallace back in the fold the smooth moving Fawns may not earn a start, but all three goalers are highly reliable and can well and truly break a game open. Watch out for these three.
While the Swifts lost versatile speedster Tayla Fraser, they have elevated a like-for-like option in Lili Gorman-Brown. The attacker stated her case in the back-end of the 2023 season, elevated following injury to Allie Smith.
Smith’s defensive prowess will be back in full force, with the wing defence looking to make up for lost time, while the ever-consistent engine room in Paige Hadley and Maddy Proud will pick up where they ended off – almost captaining the side to a premiership.
Treasured possession, quick footwork and clean hands are key aspects to the Swifts’ midcourt game, allowing the team’s many options to transition down court and win ball back in big moments.
Lili Gorman-Brown impressed as an injury replacement in 2023.Importantly, all four of the Swifts’ midcourters can cover at least two positions, making for great versatility and adding another layer to their potency across the court.
The Swifts have retained their defensive end for another year at least, with Origin Diamond Sarah Klau and partner in crime Maddy Turner back in red together for another three seasons.
Both players bring great tenacity, consistency and X-factor, while Teigan O’Shannassy rounds out the trio and adds an additional layer to the Swifts’ defence with her height and adaptability.
While the Swifts are one of the teams with the least changes heading into 2024 and therefore the most fine-tuned connections, the trick will be to add to their bag of tricks and not stagnate after an impressive 2023 season.
A strong start will be key for the Swifts, with Wallace’s long-awaited return a talking point ahead of Round 1.
