CEO Matthew Pavlich spoke to the media yesterday at our Swans x Nike partnership launch event. He discussed the event, the AFL side's new look coaching panel and his views on AFL state of origin.

On the One Club partnership event 

"I think you get a sense of just the energy and the connection that the Swans brand with Nike have and there's a lot of young fit people in the room and out jogging today and here in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, we're synonymous with that brand of Nike, Swans and people here in the east. It's just awesome to see the red and white running along the coastline and so many young people and old, all ages out there having a run and that connection to our people. I battled a little bit, but I got through 5k, so I've ticked my run for the week, but I loved it. Someone put me with the fast group, so that was asking a bit too much of me, but it was nice. We ran it with our AFLW GM and one of our assistant coaches and somehow I got through."

On how he's finding Sydney

"Loving it, loving the role and all the challenges and opportunities it brings. I think having two or three months last year taking over and getting the baton handed from Tom, we hit the ground running. It was a pretty busy three or four months leading into Christmas. It felt like we'd bettered down some of the longer term strategies and were able to get through the trade periods and the drafts as best we could. Now we've come out the other side, Lauren and the kids are here, we're settled into schools and I feel a lot more settled now in the role, so all stem ahead before opening round."

On the new-look coaching panel

"The energy's been great. Change is inevitable, particularly in the game that we're in. It's quite a transient industry that we work in, but it's been awesome to have Simon Goodwin come in, Nick Malceski come back to the club, Jeremy Laidler come back to the club in terms of strengthening that coaching group. I think they've really been beneficial for Dean, and Dean's in a much better place planning-wise, timing-wise ahead of this season than he was last year. And the great news is, from a playing perspective, we've got through Touchwood pretty well on the field. If you come down on Friday you'll see a pretty full list out there training, so we know that it doesn't guarantee success, but it gives you the best chance to compete and we're in decent shape."

On the changes that have happened at the club

"Try to do both if we can. Honour the past as well and as best we can because we've had just wonderful people and success here and that stability is really important. And while that foundation is there, there's always going to be some moving chess pieces. So to me coming in, Dean in his second year, some new coaches, we've had some change with our executive as well. We're very excited about this year and the near to long-term future."

On State of Origin

"I've got to play for South Australia and all my adopted state of Western Australia. So I think it's fantastic. I hope it's a great success. I know the WA public are right behind it. It's a sellout, our coaches are so passionate about WA, so too Chad Warner who's playing. We just need to find out where this sits. We know that Malinauskas and South Australia are keen to get a game. The Indigenous All-Stars match last year was a great success as well, I think with Tasmania coming in there's an opportunity for the competition more broadly to think about fixture and structure and where rep footy sits but I'm an advocate."