TANYA Kennedy began the season on the sidelines. Now, with Sydney's finals campaign on the line, she is at the heart of its midfield plans.

A back injury suffered on the eve of the season forced Kennedy to withdraw from the Irish squad just a week before the historic AFLW NAB Australia v Ireland match.

The sold-out clash at North Sydney Oval marked the first AFLW representative fixture since 2017, pitting 25-player Australian and Irish squads against each other under Australian Football rules.

Speaking to AFL.com.au this week, Kennedy admitted the timing of the injury was particularly difficult, having completed a full pre-season.

"It was a major disappointment," she said.

"That game was massive, and I was so excited to play it, and then to have to pull out at the last minute."

While Sydney's medical staff were initially confident Kennedy would be available for the team’s season-opener against Adelaide, lingering soreness delayed her return until round four.

"I was fully focused on the Swans this year, and focused on what I could do whenever I got back to play," Kennedy said.

"The start of the season was a bit rocky for me. Round one, round two, round three, I was watching on the sidelines. The girls were just doing great, so it was a bit easier to take my time to rehab and come back in.

"But then I was like, whenever I get back and get my chance, I'm going to give it everything, because you just don't know. It's the best time when you get to play; you train all pre-season, and then to have to miss out on the good stuff is hard. So it was like: whenever I get my chance, I'll come back in and do it."

Despite being ruled out of the Australia v Ireland clash, Kennedy remained heavily involved in the build-up, helping promote the fixture alongside Sydney teammates Paris McCarthy, Zippy Fish and Chloe Molloy. Kennedy and McCarthy had been selected for Ireland, with Fish and Molloy named in the Australian squad.

Rather than retreat from the occasion, Kennedy put aside her disappointment and embraced a different role in the historic clash.

"With the excitement around it, I just wanted to do whatever I could," Kennedy said.

"You're still a part of it in a different way, so I put my personal feelings aside moving from being on the pitch to off the pitch, and just focused on the little kids who were so excited for the game. So I put all my energy into promoting it for them."

When Kennedy finally returned against the Western Bulldogs in round four, she immediately re-established the defensive edge she brings to Sydney's midfield, laying a game-high 12 tackles.

A week later, she backed it up with another game-high 15 tackles against crosstown rival Greater Western Sydney.

By the time Sydney's season was at stake in last weekend's elimination final against the Western Bulldogs, the Swans were prepared to entrust Kennedy with an even greater responsibility.

Handed a defensive assignment on Bulldogs co-captain Isabelle Pritchard, Kennedy produced a career-high 17 tackles while helping curb one of the competition's most damaging midfielders, as the Swans advanced to the semi-finals with a 29-point win.

The assignment carried added weight given Pritchard had recorded 22 disposals and a game-high nine clearances when the Bulldogs handed the Swans their first loss of the season in round four.

For Kennedy, however, a shutdown role is about more than simply limiting an opponent's possessions. It is about playing her part in Sydney's broader midfield plan and allowing her teammates to play to their strengths.

She also sees the responsibility as a show of faith from Sydney's coaches.

"I take a lot of confidence in it," she said.

"Whatever role they give me every week, or whatever role they give the team, I feel like there's a lot of trust. We trust the coaches 100 per cent in what they say. They're never looking at you as an individual, they're always looking for what's best for the team.

"For them to give me that role, it was very pleasing that they thought I could do it, and to go out there and have everyone gel together and play their part was really, really pleasing."

That team-first approach is reflected in Kennedy's own game, with defence remaining her starting point.

"I go out with a defensive mindset. That's my role, whatever role that is," she said.

"Me, a defensive mindset, and then the other mids come and do their strength, so that would be my strength. And then bring Laura (Gardiner), 'Mon’ (Montana Ham) and the rest in to bring their strengths.

"Then the offence comes off that, and I try to win the one-on-ones when I can and help out the offence when I can as well."

That defensive approach could again prove crucial when the Swans travel to Geelong for Saturday afternoon's cut-throat semi-final against the Cats.

Geelong lost just once during the home and away season and came within four points of Melbourne in its qualifying final.

The Swans are yet to settle their midfield match-ups, but Cats star Georgie Prespakis looms as a possible assignment for Kennedy. Prespakis averaged 30.6 disposals and 8.1 clearances during the home and away season, leading with a League-high 97 clearances.

"I'm happy to do whatever I can for the team; if that's on Prespakis, I'll try my best and do whatever I can," Kennedy said.

Kennedy knows a job on Prespakis would not necessarily be about stopping her from winning the ball altogether. Instead, the challenge would be limiting her ability to stay involved in the chain.

"When you go on a tagging role, you know they're going to get the ball, so it's kind of limiting their impact on the game, their touches and metres gained," she said.

"So it would be like not letting them run through the middle and get four touches on the way. You just cut out that run, run with them.

"If that was the role that you were put on, you would make sure that they're not getting that second, third, or fourth handball. They might get it in the contest and get it out, but make sure that they don't get the chain handballs."

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