For lifelong Sydney Swans supporter Russell Fogarty, the connection to the club is in his DNA. With family roots in South Melbourne, Fogarty inherited his love for the Swans from his grandfather, who was born in the late 1800s and cheered for the club long before it made the transition to Sydney.
Speaking to Sydney Swans Media, Fogarty jokes he didn’t have a choice on who he barracked for. His memories of the red and white date back to his childhood in the 1960s with a membership that’s been in place since birth.
“It’s the family connection and the people I’ve met at the club,” Fogarty said when as asked about his ongoing passion for the club.
“I’m in the Red and Whites (a Sydney Swans Foundation Coterie Group) and the Melbourne Blood Brothers. Just the people with a common interest for the Swans – it’s great.”
Through his support for the Swans, Fogarty has become an avid collector. Some of his treasured artefacts will return to the club this month for the inaugural Sydney Swans Museum.
Among Fogarty’s generous donations is Fred Goldsmith’s 1955 Brownlow Medal. The South Melbourne full back played 119 games for the Swans, kicking 107 goals between 1951 and 1959. The Hall of Famer was named in the Swan Team of the Century and will go down in history as the club’s leading goalkicker in 1957.
“I bought [the Brownlow Medal] 20 years ago now when Fred was still alive, and my understanding was that he needed the money for a hip replacement,” Fogarty recalls.
“That was auctioned down at Christie’s in South Yarra.”
Similarly, Fogarty acquired J. Herbie Matthews medal from an auction. Considered a footballer well before his time, the AFL Hall of Famer and Premiership player appeared in 191 games between 1932 and 1945. He is a five-time Swans Best & Fairest, captained the side between 1938 and 1945 and eventually went on to coach the squad from 1947 to 1957.
Capping off his impressive resume Matthews won the Brownlow Medal in 1940.
“Matthews was a little different because he had two Brownlow Medals. He had the original one from 1940 which had the word ‘tied’ on it,” he explained.
“It's the only Brownlow that's ever had the word ‘tied’ on it. And then he was presented with a retrospective one in 1989 without the word ‘tied’ on it. So, I got both those Brownlow medals.
“Unbeknownst to me, I also got his four best and fairest medals as well. And his illuminated address, life membership and premiership medallion.”
Lastly, Fogarty has returned Chloe Molloy’s boots, painted by Aliesha Newman for Indigenous Round in 2023. The boots were donated to and auctioned off by the GO Foundation - Michael O’Loughlin and Adam Goodes’ organisation - providing scholarships to First Nations students.
Molloy was recruited to the Swans on the first day of the 2023 AFLW Priority Sign and Trade period. She was named co-captain just months later, leading the squad to their first ever win and finals series. Molloy wore the painted boots in Round 7 and Round 8 of the 2023 AFLW season. The latter match securing the team’s largest ever win, defeating the Western Bulldogs by 57 points.
The museum will open at the Richard Colless Basil Seller Centre – Sydney Swans HQ – in early April. For Fogarty, he hopes to revisit his childhood with South Melbourne memorabilia.
“I have great memories of when I was a kid going down the to the old lake over South Melbourne,” he shared.
“I hope they’ve got historic things from pre-1982. It was always a great day with Mum and Dad to go down there and watch the team play.”
The museum project is being proudly supported by the Sydney Swans Foundation and fundraising is still required. To donate to the Sydney Swans Foundation and help bring this important project to life, visit the campaign page HERE.
If you would like to learn more about the Museum project, read more HERE.
Please note the Museum is no longer accepting further memorabilia donations. Share your pieces with us virtually via our Antiques Roadshow.
