Sydney Swans superstar Chloe Molloy ruled out of AFLW 2025 season; Richmond Tigers announce a review into their AFLW program
In another injury blow for the Swans, Cynthia Hamilton suffered both knee and ankle injuries during last week’s clash with West Coast and is now waiting to have scans.
Although the Swans have endured bad luck with injuries this year, Gowans said there were players who would step up and fill the gaps.
Chloe Molloy will miss the rest of the 2025 AFLW season.Credit: Getty Images
Molloy opened the season with a bang, piloting her side to four consecutive victories, including a thumping win over Gold Coast in round two, when she kicked seven majors – equalling the record for the most goals kicked in an AFLW game.
In an era of North Melbourne dominance, the Swans were emerging as worthy opponents and potential spoilers for the undefeated reigning premiers.
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But, the red-hot Sydney hit an unexpected snag in September with a string of losses and have been trying to work their way up the ladder to reach finals.
Presently in ninth place, the Swans need to defeat the Bombers on Saturday to slide into the eight, then await the result of Sunday’s game between Adelaide and Fremantle to see if they can maintain their position.
As one of the team’s best goalkickers and pivotal members of the leadership team, Molloy’s absence on Saturday puts a serious dent in the Swans’ chances of both making the finals and making an impact if they get there.
Tigers announce independent review into AFLW program after poor season
Richmond have appointed former Carlton general manager Brad Lloyd to lead an independent review into their AFLW program after a disappointing 2025 campaign.
The Tigers qualified for finals last year, but were winless for the first half of the 2025 season, with seven consecutive losses.
The team finally broke their winless drought in round eight with a shock victory over Adelaide.
Richmond have only won two games this season. Credit: AFL Photos
Despite the string of losses, the club extended coach Ryan Ferguson’s contract until the end of the 2026 season.
A statement from the club said Lloyd and high-performance specialists will conduct in-person and virtual interviews with stakeholders, as well as player and staff surveys.
“We ultimately want to be a team competing for premierships, and this process will ensure that we are best set up for continual improvement and long-term success,” Richmond chief executive officer Shane Dunne said.
“As the AFLW continues to evolve, our program must remain progressive, inclusive and high performing.
“This review will help identify strengths, areas for improvement, and make recommendations to optimise high-performance outcomes in the short, medium and long terms.”
Richmond are 17th on the ladder and will face Gold Coast at Ikon Park on Saturday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Tigers have also made a key announcement for their AFL program, with head of coaching performance and development, Ben Rutten, moving on to Port Adelaide to become the Power’s new head of football.
Rutten, who was the Essendon senior coach for 44 games through 2021 and 2022, has replaced Chris Davies, who has taken on the role as Carlton footy boss. Rutten was previously a line coach at Richmond from 2015 to 2018, during which time the Tigers winning the drought-breaking 2017 flag. He returned to the Tigers after his stint at the Bombers, again serving as an assistant coach before taking on his most recent role.
Originally from Adelaide, Rutten played 229 games as a key defender for the Crows from 2003 to 2014.
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