Having been introduced to AFL while living in Melbourne, I returned to Sydney and started attending games just after South Melbourne relocated. What started as a fun afternoon outing with friends, turned into a life-long passion.
Whilst there have been highlights during the years: the 1996 Grand Final, the 2005 and 2012 Premierships, the first AFLW game, there were also times when there were only 3,000 of us in the stands and 23 losses in a row, so why did I stick around.
For me, it isn’t only about winning. What is truly special about our Club is the Swans culture.
Our culture of respect, honesty, persistence, commitment - which is evident both on-field with our men’s and women’s teams, and the QBE Sydney Swans Academy, as well as off field in the administration of our Club – is an exemplar to the whole Australian community of how we can be our best selves.
Being a member and a donor has brought me together with many wonderful people who are now life-long friends. It has given me something that I can be truly proud of – not to mention that wonderful feeling after a big win that carries me through the week!
Over the Club’s history, there have been pivotal moments when dedicated members and donors have put their hand in their pockets to help the Club survive and thrive. We are entering the next stage of the Club’s history with the growth of the Swans Academy, the establishment of our women’s team and the move into the new Swans Headquarters.
We all know that feeling of joy and happiness after a good win. Now it’s time for us to be a part of history and share the joy that comes from giving back to our Club.
Should you like to show your support for the Sydney Swans Foundation, we encourage you to donate today.
We are building futures one goal at a time.