AFLW captain Emma Swanson has recently adopted the phrase, “levelling up”, which outlines her aspirations for the team in 2022.

The skipper wants the group to continue building their growth and experience, while also being competitive in every match across the season.

With a new trademark and a fully fit squad coming into 2022, Swanson believes the recipe for improvement is brewing at West Coast.

“I heard the expression ‘levelling up’ during an American sport interview on Instagram,” Swanson said.

“I can’t remember the sport, but the intention behind the interview was if you’re going to level up, you’re going to keep taking it to the next level.

“We’ve been using it in the team because we always speak about raising the bar, and that’s what ties into levelling up.

“It’s one thing for the senior players to come back every year and keep getting better, and I think we’ve had a core group that’s kept doing that over the past couple of years.”

While most of the senior players are completing their third pre-season with West Coast this week, younger players like second-year midfielder Bella Lewis, Mikayla Bowen and first-round draft pick Charlie Thomas have also been impressing Swanson with their willingness to learn and improve.

The trio – under new midfield coach Hamish Brayshaw – have been focussing on skills and body work, as well as football fundamentals and education in order to push the standards in the Eagles’ engine room.

“I can see they’re going to be at this footy club for hopefully the next 12, 15 years,” Swanson said.

“The way they have come, challenging the people around them, they’ve just taken the trademark on.

“They’ve driven it, they’re three future leaders of the footy club and it’s awesome to start to see a bit of a legacy that we’re leaving behind, that hopefully they can take in years’ to come.

“And the girls that are watching us play now and are nine years old, those three in particular I believe will be leading those ones in the future.

“It’s awesome to see and it’s awesome how willing to take on the trademark and really drive it.”

After three years playing – and captaining – at football’s highest level, Swanson says there’s more certainty around her leadership style, and where she wants to take the group before the end of her career.

Pushing the trademark – created by Swanson, alongside vice-captain Dana Hooker, and senior leaders Parris Laurie and Aisling McCarthy – is one of the stepping stones and something which the skipper believes all players have bought into for 2022.

“I’m a couple of years older now which I think definitely helps and probably have perspective coming to the back end of my footy career, and hopefully still a little bit away,” Swanson said.

“But, it gives me a really good perspective on where I want to go and how I want to lead the group and what I definitely want to achieve before I do finish up.

“We worked as a leadership group really hard on our trademark, pretty much since day one of the off-season.

“After the last season, I’ve been really proud of, particularly how the leaders have worked so hard on that six months before the girls got back.

“Especially how we’ve been able to live that, constantly refer back to that, and particularly how it’s spread amongst the group.

“There’s four players in the leadership group leading – and pushing the trademark – and I genuinely feel like there’s 30-plus players who are pushing the trademark in their own ways, which is really special.

“I just want to level up.”