SEASON seven was a whirlwind for former No.1 draft pick Montana Ham.

Drafted to a brand-new Sydney team with the coveted first pick in June, Ham was running out for her AFLW debut just 60 days later. The teenager was also balancing regular travel between her home of Melbourne and the club in Sydney, year 12 exams, and even a knee injury to rehabilitate.

"I was very organized, I didn't have much free time," Ham told womens.afl.

"But I loved it. It's what you've got to do. You've got to sacrifice the little things to play the game that you've always wanted to play."

Ham's challenging debut season was a character building one, allowing her to grow into the Sydney-based university student she is now, studying exercise physiotherapy and getting stuck into her second pre-season.

"I've definitely matured a lot since last year. Just being able to make sure that I'm very on top of my work, on top of training and just doing all the right things properly, not slacking off. Being very proactive in what I do," Ham said.

Part of that maturing has been about understanding how to get the most out of herself. A keen focus on recovery amidst extra gym sessions and dedicated running programs.

"Last year it was very hard to keep on top of recovery, training, everything when you're flying back and forth and having exams. I was very time poor, but this year just doing the small things right, eating right, sleeping right, and getting that recovery is essential to your performance," Ham said.

Optimistic about her side's second season in the AFLW, Ham admits the ability to spend more time together in recent months is key to the side's improved chemistry, combined with a better understanding of what an elite sporting environment requires.

"Last year we were fairly new and getting to know how each other played, how we best fitted, and we've gotten more into the mode of trusting each other, knowing what each other's strengths are and knowing out each other plays," Ham said.

"I feel like we were a very young, inexperienced group last year, and we didn't really know what it meant to be in a professional environment."

More than two thirds of Sydney's list is from outside of NSW/ACT, so Ham is not alone in the need to relocate. But due to the speed with which the club had to put together its whole AFLW program last year, combined with the challenging NSW market, resulted in a winless maiden season for the Swans.

But now, the list has settled in Sydney and welcomed important new recruits in Lucy McEvoy, Chloe Molloy, and Laura Gardiner, as well as Irish trio Paris McCarthy, Jennifer Higgins and Julie O'Sullivan, spirits are high at the Swans.

"I think (the new recruits) give players more freedom to play their own game. Laura Gardiner is great in the in-and-under, but also gets on the outside. Same as Chloe, she's an unbelievable talent on the outside and through the middle, and Lucy will be a great target up forward."

Now for the Swans, all eyes are on claiming that maiden win, and building positive momentum off the back of that.