If you were watching VFL football in the 1970s you’ll remember that most weeks through the home-and-away season all games were played on Saturday at 2:10pm.  There was an occasional game on a Monday, and even more occasionally a Tuesday or Wednesday game on Anzac Day. All at 2:10pm.

And for as long as anyone could remember, all finals were played on a Saturday afternoon.

There had been a one-off break from tradition in 1970, when Richmond played Fitzroy on a Sunday in Round 1 to mark the visit by Queen Elizabeth II. It was the first Sunday game in League history.

There was a Sunday game in Round 5, 1980 to celebrate Anzac Day, albeit on 27 April, before 12 weeks later South Melbourne played a ‘test case’ Sunday game at the SCG in Round 17 against Collingwood. It was Barry Round’s 253^rd game and Shane Morwood’s third game, and the Swans won by 18 points. After a 2:10pm start, of course.

But change was coming. From 1982, when the Swans made their home at the SCG, Sunday afternoon games became a regular thing. The first Sunday final was played in 1984 and on Friday, August 5 1983, the SCG hosted the first Friday night match when the Sydney Swans took on Geelong. And after tradition held firm for nine years the MCG hosted the first night final on September 4, 1993.

It seems like a lifetime ago now as the Swans prepare to meet Richmond at the MCG on Thursday night. While Tuesdays and Wednesday football is reserved for public holidays, Thursday is now part of the norm.

It will be the Swans’ 2533^rd game all-time and the 21^st on a Thursday. There have been 1982 Saturday games, with 359 on Sunday, 65 on Monday, four on Tuesday and three on Wednesday.

If a start before 3pm is considered afternoon, anything from 3-6pm is twilight and thereafter is a night game, there have been two Thursday day games, four Thursday twilight games and 14 Thursday night games.

If only to serve as a reminder of the scheduling nightmare confronted by the AFL and the clubs during the 2020 Covid season, the Swans played four Thursday games at different stadiums at four different time slots against four different opponents.

It was 4:40pm v Melbourne in Cairns, 5:40pm v Collingwood at the Gabba, 6:10pm v GWS in Perth and 7:40pm v Bulldogs at the SCG.

South Melbourne’s first Thursday game was in Round 4, 1900 against Fitzroy at Brunswick Street Oval. In the side were seven members of the first South team in 1897 – Dave Adamson, Bill Fraser, Bert Howson, Bill Windley, Fred Waugh and Harry Purdy– plus Jack Deas, who played for Fitzroy against his old side.

After their first Thursday win against Melbourne at the MCG in 1901 they played their first Thursday game at Lake Oval on Anzac Day 1963. It was also the club’s first Anzac Day game.

Twenty-eight years later, on Anzac Day 1991, Greg Williams had 38 possessions and Warwick Capper kicked five goals against North Melbourne at the MCG. For Williams it was a Thursday club record that still stands, and for a Capper it was a Thursday club record that would be equalled but not broken.

After four Thursday games in 90 years, 16 have followed since 2013 and provided a string of special memories and milestones for a host of Swans players.

The fifth was the club’s first Thursday night game on Anzac Day 2013 and was the club’s only premiership match overseas. The Swans beat St Kilda by 16 points in Wellington, New Zealand, in Jarrad McVeigh’s 199^th game. Dan Hannebery had 30 possessions and Ted Richards, Hannebery and Kieren Jack took the 3-2-1 Brownlow Medal votes.

The Swans’ biggest win in 231 games against Geelong came on a Thursday night at the SCG in Round 11, 2014. Nick Malceski had a career-best 37 possessions to head a rare six players with 30-plus and picked up three Brownlow votes.

Kurt Tippett equalled Capper’s Thursday club record with five goals for one vote, while Lance Franklin kicked four goals for two votes. Craig Bird (33), Josh Kennedy (32), Luke Parker (32), Rhyce Shaw (31) and Hannebery (30) also topped 30 possessions.

This was the first of a club best six consecutive 30-possession Thursday games for Kennedy. Jake Lloyd would go on to top 30 a total of four times, while Hannebery and Luke Parker would have three each.

When Sydney beat Port Adelaide by 10 points on a Thursday night game at the SCG in Round 14, 2015 Parker, too, showed he would become a Thursday specialist. He polled two votes – the first of five times he polled on a Thursday for a total of 12 votes, including three best afield games. Kennedy, who polled three times for five votes, was next best overall.

Lance Franklin kicked four goals in his 100^th Swans game on a Thursday night against Richmond at Marvel Stadium in 2018, and in 2019 against Melbourne at the SCG Justin McInerney made his debut as Lloyd collected his fourth consecutive 30-possesion Thursday game.

In Round 4, 2020 against the Western Bulldogs at the SCG Kennedy played his 250^th AFL game and Parker his 199^th as Tom Papley kicked four of the Swans five goals for two votes in a 28-point loss.

Sam Wicks debuted in the Thursday game against Collingwood at the Gabba six weeks later.

Zac Foot played the first of his two Swans games in a never-to-be-repeated Sydney derby against GWS at Perth Stadium in Round 12, 2020. They won by 41 points as Parker, Lloyd and Dane Rampe took the votes.

And three weeks later they played the second of two games in quick success in Cairns on a Thursday, when Parker (three votes) and Ryan Clarke (one vote) helped celebrate Sam Reid’s 150^th game in a 21-point win over Melbourne.

Chad Warner polled his first Brownlow vote in a three-point Thursday night win over Essendon at the SCG in Round 4, 2021, when Franklin kicked the eventual winner six minutes from time.

And in Round 13 this year Franklin celebrated his 350^th game on a Thursday night at the SCG against St Kilda, when Ollie Florent posted a career-best 34 possessions.

Overall, the Swans have played against 13 different clubs at 10 different venues in 20 Thursday games for an aggregate 8-12 win/loss record. The club is 4-5 at the SCG on a Thursday and 1-1 at the MCG.

And if you wanted to take statistics to the ludicrous level coach John Longmire could set his troops a challenge of breaking a 122-year ‘hoodoo’ – they haven’t won on a Thursday at the MCG since 1901.

More relevant is the stat that says Round 15 AFL Rising Star nominee Angus Sheldrick, coming off a sizzling four-game streak in which he’s picked up 88 possessions (37 contested), kicked three goals, had 18 clearances and made 20 tackles, will play his first game at the MCG.  

Two fourth-quarter goals from Richmond's Jack Graham has dragged an inaccurate Tigers to a 13-point win over a gallant Sydney at a wet and wild MCG.

The game was up for grabs with just one point in it with minutes remaining, however Sydney were unable to find a winner despite leading for the majority of the contest.

It was a shattering blow for the Swans, who had a 26-point lead halfway through the second term and were in front until 10 minutes into the fourth quarter, and remain six points adrift of the top half of the ladder.

Earlier in the night, after an incredibly inaccurate draw against Geelong last week, Sydney kicked three straight goals to open its account. The Swans looked dangerous, linking up through the middle of the ground with ease and recording 55 more disposals in the first quarter as Luke Parker and Ollie Florent ran riot.

In-form Errol Gulden (31 disposals, six tackles) relished the wide wings of the MCG, particularly in the drier and faster conditions early in the game, while lively small forward Tom Papley threatened throughout the game.

Tigers Shai Bolton and Dustin Martin sprang to life in the second quarter, causing havoc across half-forward with their speed and pressure around the footy.

But while the Tigers' general play was good, Toby Nankervis and Ben Miller both missed straightforward shots late in the quarter, and the Swans maintained an 18-point lead at half-time and looked a class above across the first two quarters.

There was a mini-Tiger resurgence as the rain began to tumble, lasting until Isaac Heeney's third sharp goal halfway through the quarter, the star Swan having found plenty of space in attack throughout the game and capitalising on his opportunities.

Despite Richmond's third-term dominance, the Tigers struggled to take their shots, kicking 3.6 in the soggy conditions as the Swans hung tough and capitalised on their few opportunities, with Lewis Melican and Dane Rampe settling things in defence. 

The Swans took an 8-point lead into the final term but the Tigers continued to surge. The Swans had their chances in the final stages of the game but were unable to use the ball in their attacking fifty to find the winner as Jack Graham and Dustin Martin sealed the victory for Richmond at the other end.

Talking Points

Suspension looming for captain 'Nank'

Richmond's Toby Nankervis is staring down the barrel of a suspension after being reported for a late and high bump in the second term, which caught Jake Lloyd in the head. A stretcher was called, but Lloyd left the field under his own steam, and he was subsequently subbed off. Lloyd had well and truly handballed the footy by the time Nankervis bumped the Swan, with his shoulder hitting Lloyd's head. Ivan Soldo is in the ruck wings with two VFL games under his belt after a foot injury.

So long, farewell from the 'G (possibly), Bud

The match against Richmond marked Sydney's last scheduled match at the MCG for the year. Outside of a possible finals game, it was likely to be Lance Franklin's final game at the football colosseum where he played so many outstanding games, particularly with former club Hawthorn. Matched up against the inexperienced but impressive Tylar Young for most of the game, Franklin threw his weight around. It didn't all go to plan, but he kicked 2.1 and handed one off to Will Hayward, and he provided a key target throughout.

Debutant dream to nightmare for Bauer

Jacob Bauer had a lovely first kick at AFL level, hitting up Dion Prestia inside 50. Unfortunately, he also injured his hamstring in the same kicking motion, instantly grabbing the back of his leg. He headed down the race for some treatment, but Richmond pulled the sub lever fairly quickly, inserting Jack Ross into the game. Ross – who was unlucky to be pushed to sub in the first place – had an outstanding game on the wing.

RICHMOND     2.1     5.6     8.12     12.16     (88)
SYDNEY            4.4     8.6     10.8     11.9     (75)

GOALS
Richmond: Ross 2, Graham 2, Miller, Pickett, Cotchin, Baker, Nankervis, Vlastuin, Riewoldt, Martin
Sydney: Heeney 3, McInerney 2, Hayward 2, Franklin 2, Gulden, Papley

BEST
Richmond: Bolton, Taranto, Martin, Young, Ross, Nankervis
Sydney: Florent, Gulden, Parker, Rowbottom, Heeney, Rampe 

INJURIES
Richmond: Bauer (hamstring)
Sydney: Lloyd (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Jack Ross (replaced Bauer in the first quarter)
Sydney: Aaron Francis (replaced Lloyd in the second quarter) 

Crowd: 48,443 at the MCG