Sydney's new recruit Taylor Smith spoke to the local media in Coffs Harbour, on day three of the side's Community Camp.

On her start to life as a Swan

"It's amazing, I've really enjoyed the first 10 days, but popped in in the off-season and just got to build some relationships and get a feel for the group and I'm beyond excited."

On what she wants to bring to the team

I would love to bring, obviously, my experience, hopefully just my personality and my strengths that I can bring on the field and off the field, really try and drive the group towards hopefully a premiership."

On her strengths

"I think that I offer a lot of different things on and off the field. I think off the field, I really like to find myself in relationships and that emotional intelligence piece and I think that's really key to building good culture and I'm a big believer in good culture creates success. I think if I can try and bring that off and on the field, that's going to hopefully go a long way and I think on the field, just being a large presence forward and helping that connection between midfield and forward is going to be really great for this group because they play a really beautiful brand of footy and can move the ball really well with high skill and I think hopefully I can complement that."

On how welcome she's felt at the Swans

"It's been, not that I had any expectations, but it's been above and beyond. I feel like the girls have just such great energy and really genuine care for the people that surround them.So I've felt very, very valued and very included."

On how she's found community camp in Coffs Harbour

"I love it. I used to have a four-wheel drive with a rooftop and I would come down to Woolgooga and Coffs and do a bit of camping. So for me, it's really nice to come back here because I know the place and I've spent a lot of time here and to now make that part of what we do as a club is really, really special and we got to hear a bit of history about the boys doing it 20 years ago and things like that."

On the session the club is holding for local fans

"Open training. It's one of our more contact sessions so the people who are here get to see a bit more of the physical side of women's sport, which I think is a great thing to show the different sides of what women's sport really is, that we're tough and we're strong and powerful people. So it's a great session to have young girls come down and to hopefully aspire to be like us."

On what the squad is focussing on early in pre-season

"I think, sort of like I said before, it's continuing to build culture. It's never a job done. So working on those things and how can you then translate those values into the way you train, like trusting each other and really driving those standards. I think for us it's going to be a big focus on creating continuity through lines, so really, really building that connection because if you can connect on and off the field, you're going to connect in everything, in the way you train, the way you drive standards, skills, push each other and do everything you can to make each other great. So I think that above all encompasses everything that we're working on that stays within our four walls."

On the importance of getting around the local community in Coffs Harbour

"It's incredibly important and I think our fans, our community, they're what drive us. They're the people that support us and bring in everything that is important to the Swans and the Swans do a great job at making sure that everyone, like our fans, feel valued and this is just another part of that."

On announced Round 3 AFLW game in Coffs Harbour against St Kilda

"Yeah, it's just been released for round three Saturday afternoon and I think hopefully we get some really good weather. I know the girls last year had some fairly average weather, but they're the conditions that you just get to play with, so we're so excited to be coming back here early in the season as well. So yeah, we're really looking forward to that."

On the importance of coming to Coffs Harbour before the game

"I think coming to somewhere familiar is a really great thing. So to do that early and then to know that we can come back here, feel comfortable, know the place, know the venues, it's a really great preparation. Just mentally, I think it's something that you need to do."

The Sydney Swans will host St Kilda at C.ex Coffs International Stadium in Round Three of the upcoming 2026 NAB AFLW season. 

Sydney Swans v St Kilda 
Saturday, August 29 
Time TBC 
C.ex Coffs International Stadium 

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