The Sydney Swans finished third in the Australian Football League (AFL) table at the end of the regular home-and-away season, securing the club a finals berth, and a qualifying finals match against Melbourne. The Sydney club defeated Melbourne, and then edged-out Collingwood in the preliminary finals, winning 14.11 (95) to 14.10 (94). The grand final was a bridge too far for the Swans, however, with the Geelong Cats triumphing 20.13 (133) to 8.4 (52). Exciting rookie signings up and down the oval are sure to add strength in depth, and with head coach John Longmire signing a contract extension at the club, Sydney is looking to the future; can 2023 bring grand final success, and a first AFL premiership since 2012?
2023 Squad
Head Coach
John Longmire (AUS)
Defenders
Nick Blakey (AUS)
Braeden Campbell (AUS)
Oliver Florent (AUS)
Jake Lloyd (AUS)
Lachlan Rankin (AUS)
Cooper Vickery (AUS)
Key Defenders
William Edwards (AUS)
Robbie Fox (AUS)
Paddy McCartin (AUS)
Tom McCartin (AUS)
Lewis Melican (AUS)
Dane Rampe (AUS) “C”
Midfielders
Errol Gulden (AUS)
Jaiden Magor (AUS)
Justin McInerney (AUS)
Callum Mills (AUS) “C”
Caleb Mitchell (AUS)
Luke Parker (AUS) “C”
Matt Roberts (AUS)
James Rowbottom (AUS)
Dylan Stephens (AUS)
Chad Warner (AUS)
Ruckmen
Tom Hickey (AUS)
Peter Ladhams (AUS)
Lachlan McAndrew (AUS)
Cameron Owen (AUS)
Forwards
Ryan Clarke (AUS)
Harry Cunningham (AUS)
Hugo Hall-Kahan (AUS)
Will Hayward (AUS)
Issac Heeney (AUS)
Jacob Konstanty (AUS)
Tom Papley (AUS)
Marc Sheather (AUS)
Angus Sheldrick (AUS)
Corey Warner (AUS)
Sam Wicks (AUS)
Key Forwards
Joel Amartey (AUS)
Aaron Francis (AUS)
Lance Franklin (AUS)
Logan McDonald (AUS)
Hayden McLean (AUS)
Sam Reid (AUS)
“C” = Captains
2023 Schedule
The Sydney Swans will play a total of 23 matches during the 2023 regular season; the matches will take place across 24 rounds, with 1 round acting as a bye for the Swans. Of these 23 matches, 11 will be played at home, and 12 played away from home. Of the 17 other sides in the AFL, the Sydney Swans will play against 6 of them twice, once at home and once away, and play against the remaining 11 sides once only, either home or away. The club’s first match of the 2023 campaign was against the Gold Coast Suns on 18 March, at the Heritage Bank Stadium. The final Sydney Swans fixture of the regular season will be in August against the Adelaide Crows, at the Adelaide Oval.
You can find the full Sydney Swans season schedule here.
2023 Rivals
Over the course of the 2023 season, the Sydney Swans will compete against the Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fremantle, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, Hawthorn, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond, St. Kilda, West Coast Eagles, and the Western Bulldogs.
Whilst each match is crucial if the club is to challenge for the premiership in 2023, there are 3 main match-ups which Sydney Swans fans look forward to every season, namely fixtures against the team’s main rivals: the GWS Giants, Hawthorn, and the West Coast Eagles. The rivalry with the GWS Giants began as soon as the Giants joined the AFL in 2012, producing a direct cross-city derby for the 2 clubs, whilst the rivalry with Hawthorn developed following the 2012 and 2014 grand finals. The rivalry with the West Coast Eagles, meanwhile, started slightly earlier, between 2005 and 2007, when the 2 sides competed in several incredibly close contests, including 2 consecutive grand finals in 2005 and 2006. The Sydney Swans and Hawthorn met in round 2 in March, and the Swans and Giants met once already during round 7 at the end of April, but the following fixtures are still to be played:
- Round 15: Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles • 24 June 2023
- Round 21: GWS Giants v Sydney Swans • August 2023 (date to be confirmed)
2023 AFL Finals
During the 2022 season, the Sydney Swans finished the regular season in third place in the AFL table. The club then won finals matches against Melbourne and Collingwood to progress to the grand final, where a loss to the Geelong Cats denied the New South Wales club a sixth premiership.
The 2023 AFL finals will take place across 4 weeks, following the end of the regular season. The finals takes place across 4 rounds of matches, with teams knocked-out after one or two defeats, depending on where they finished in the table at the end of the regular season. The 2023 AFL finals will conclude with the grand final, which is expected to be held on 30 September.
2023 Tickets & Prices
Sydney Swans home matches are hosted at the Sydney Cricket Ground, which holds 48,600 spectators. During the 2022 AFL season, the Sydney Swans attracted an average of 27,901 fans per game. The price of match tickets for Swans home fixtures can vary based on the opponents who are visiting the Sydney Cricket Ground, and the stature of the match, as well as the seating category for which a given match ticket is valid, however standard adult match ticket prices generally start at approximately AUD $40. The average cost of an adult match ticket is between approximately AUD $53-58.
Standard Tickets
Standard match tickets for Sydney Swans home games at the Sydney Cricket Ground can be purchased in the following categories:
- General Admission – unreserved seating in the lower tier of the Victor Trumper Stand; typically among the most affordable tickets at Swans home games
- Alcohol Free Zone – family-friendly reserved seating in the lower tier of the Victor Trumper Stand; typically among the most affordable tickets at Swans home games
- Opposition Fan Zone – reserved seating for fans of the away team, in the lower tier of the Don Bradman Stand
- Category 5 – reserved seating in the Clive Churchill and Victor Trumper Stands
- Category 4 – reserved seating found throughout the Dally Messenger, Clive Churchill, and Victor Trumper Stands
- Category 3 – reserved seating in the Bill O’Reilly and Victor Trumper Stands
- Category 2 – reserved seating in the Clive Churchill and Victor Trumper Stands
- Red Zone – reserved seating in the Don Bradman and MA Noble Stands, populated by Sydney Swans members and the club’s fiercest fans!
- Category 1 – reserved seating in the Bill O’Reilly, Brewongle, and Clive Churchill Stands; typically among the most expensive standard tickets at Swans home games
Premium, Hospitality, & VIP Tickets
Premium match tickets and hospitality packages for Sydney Swans home matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground can be purchased via enquiry. Options include:
- HSBC Hexagon Suite – reserved premium seats and access to a casual hospitality lounge; cocktail meal with drinks included
- Chairman’s Club – reserved premium seats, 2-course meal, inclusive drinks, and entry to an exclusive pre-match talk and function
- Outdoor Box – private hospitality box on level 4 of the Clive Churchill and Brewongle Stands; catering package and mini-fridge bar included
How to get Cheap Tickets
The price of Sydney Swans match tickets can vary based on multiple factors. Firstly, games at large, modern, or prestigious stadiums may command higher ticket prices than matches hosted at smaller or less prestigious ovals, for which tickets may be cheaper. Secondly, ticket prices may be higher for matches against more successful teams, or rival sides. Thirdly, ticket prices vary depending on a chosen seat’s location in the stadium: seats behind the posts are typically more affordable than seats located along the wings, for example. Moreover, Koobit compares the prices offered by both official sellers and secondary resellers, to help you find your perfect ticket at the most affordable price.
Where to Buy Tickets
Tickets for Sydney Swans games can be easily purchased online, allowing fans to access ticket sales as soon as they open, as well as compare prices in different sections of the venue. Purchasing tickets online also provides the opportunity to compare the prices offered by different suppliers. Tickets which are bought online can be downloaded and then digitally presented at the stadium.
How to Get to a Game
Sydney Swans home matches are played at Sydney Cricket Ground, which can be easily accessed via public transport, as well as on foot and by bike. There are also event day car parks located on the Sydney Cricket Ground site, as well as a short walk away. Visit the Sydney Cricket Ground travel and parking page for more information, or see the travel and parking sections on individual event pages for more specific travel information.
To stay up to date with the latest schedule and ticketing information for this season and beyond, visit the Sydney Swans page.