The Sydney Swans AFLW team's 14-point win over the Lions last Sunday marked Executive General Manager of AFLW Football, Kate Mahony’s last game with the club before she departs for her new opportunity with Chelsea FC as Performance Director for their Women’s program.
Since joining Sydney in 2021 ahead of the inaugural AFLW season, Mahony has built the women’s program from the ground up, laying the foundations for long-term success and fostering a high-performance environment.
“We started with ten losses, and I think people forget that,” Mahony said after the Swans victory over the Lions.
“To be five seasons in and be top four of the competition, solidifying ourselves, that's [down to] everyone every day who turns up to try and do a little bit better.”
Prior to joining the Swans, Mahony held multiple positions across various sporting organisations including the Head of Performance Health at the NSW Institute of Sport, Sports Science and Medicine Lead for the Australian women’s cricket team and Sports Physiotherapist and Tournament Lead for the Australian Open and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
“We had about 10 weeks to build the team and then a 10-week pre-season into that first season (Season 7, 2022), and we knew it was going to be really tough when the season was brought forward. We didn’t anticipate that, and it just truncated our timeline so much,” Mahony told foxfooty.com.au
“I guess what I was trying to build was a truly high-performance program. AFLW, like cricket and other sports before it, had gone from community to semi-professional to professional – and AFLW is still on that journey of building crowds and building momentum.
“But one thing I’ve always been unapologetic about is building high standards around both the staff and the playing group and giving our athletes the best opportunity to succeed – and doing that in a way that supports every single player that comes into our building, no matter their gender.”
From the early days of the women’s program, Mahony was entrusted to not just assemble a team that could compete on the field every season but also work with the QBE Sydney Swans boys and girls Academy to build their high-performance capabilities.
The academy pipeline has become an influential aspect of the women’s program, which has produced and developed players that have gone on to feature for the senior side, including Holly Cooper, Maddy Quinn and most recently Emma Juneja.
“The work you've done from the very start is just incredible. What you've been able to bring this club to and this program to is just incredible. The best start we've had to a season, and a lot of that is due to the work you've done behind the scenes and how much effort you've put in,” Captain Lucy McEvoy said post-game.
“On behalf of the playing group, a really massive thank you. We'll miss you dearly”
Mahony has been involved in every key moment of the AFLW program so far, including the signing of Ruby Sargent-Wilson as the program's first player, the first game, win, finals campaign and witnessing over 16,000 turn up to the SCG earlier this season to set a crowd attendance record.
“Kate’s passion for women’s sport is immense, and her unwavering commitment to our players and staff has been a defining feature of her leadership,” Sydney Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich said.
“She was pivotal in building our AFLW program and did so with sheer hard work and determination under tight time constraints ahead of our first season.
"Since then, Kate has established a high-performance environment, building the strong foundations that will support the program’s success for years to come.”
Mahony’s departure for Chelsea FC is a bittersweet moment as she is upset to be leaving the program she has poured all her effort into for nearly five years, though she is excited to take on the new challenge in England and influence women's sports in a world-class environment.
“It’s been a privilege to work at the Sydney Swans for the past five years, and I am incredibly proud to have played a role in building the club’s AFLW program from the ground up,” Mahony said.
“Leaving was a hard decision to make, given my passion for the club, the team, and my role. The unexpected opportunity to take on a new challenge with Chelsea FC was one I felt I couldn’t pass up.
“I’d especially like to thank the players and staff for their trust and unwavering commitment to building a program centred around care and high performance."
