Scintillating Swans: The Ultimate Season
Round 6 – Home
Sydney v Port Adelaide – Round 13, 2014

In August 1881, the majestic Sydney Cricket Ground played host to the first ever inter-colonial (State of Origin) football match between New South Wales and Victoria. The home team did not fare particularly well that day, but a football heritage was conceived. One hundred years later, our Swans moved in and the rest, as they say, is history.

Our home ground is a sacred place, revered across the globe and has hosted many a memorable match. When Lance Franklin joined our club for the 2014 season, he was looking forward to being cheered, rather than jeered. “When I was playing for Hawthorn against Sydney, last round in 2012, it was so loud there with the supporters all getting into it.” He was also looking forward to joining an already formidable club. “Having a winning culture and having a team that never gives in, that’s what we’re about as a football club, we fight to the death every game and our supporters know when they come to a game, they’re always going to get effort from Swans teams.” he states.

In Round 13 of that season, we hosted Port Adelaide in a top of the table clash. The Power were enjoying a resurgence under Ken Hinkley, but key defender Alipate Carlile was wary. “It was always a tough road trip heading to Sydney to play at the SCG.” He goes on, “It’s an amazing stadium to play at with its dimensions and when it’s packed, it seems like the crowd is right on top of you. Any mistakes are amplified and usually punished by a relentless team that around that time, were the most respected team in the competition due to their teamwork and appetite for a contest.”

For Franklin, memories of an extraordinary atmosphere are clear. “It was a Saturday afternoon, it was a beautiful day and we know our supporters do love an afternoon game. That was a huge game. I remember there were nearly forty-two thousand there that day and it was just an unbelievable game to be a part of,” he recalls. A sundrenched SCG conjures visions of splendor for a Swan. The stands overflowing with red and white, an expectancy in the air that our boys will take the points and the aromas of the footy filling the nostrils. You know them.

With the home team buoyed, the visitors were also respectfully confident. Coach Hinkley had enjoyed a winning start to his career against our Bloods. “We've only played them twice in my time; both times in Adelaide and both times we've been able to beat them.” he said pre-match.  Carlile remembers his team being full of reverence. “There was always a respect for the Swans especially around their culture. It had always amazed me how quickly players who were drafted, or been traded into the team bought into it. They were always a team that would bring a huge emphasis on the contest,” he adds.

And so, the scene was set.

Our class of ’14 were an exemplary bunch. Confidence had been building steadily after a slow start to the campaign, and self-belief was rising. We started this match well. Franklin was confident. “There’s no doubt that 2014 team was a very, very good team. We knew that if everyone was playing their best and playing their role that we were as good as anyone. We all had the self-belief that we could turn things around.” he adds, “I think we had 17 wins that season, so there’s no doubt we had the talent, the ability and the leadership of such great players around at that time and we eventually found ourselves in a Grand Final. I was only looking at that team the other day, it’s full of absolute champions and I’m just fortunate to have played with so many great players.”

With the match ebbing and flowing throughout, it would reach a fever-pitch crescendo in the final quarter. Carlile remembers the moment he was moved to play on our Swans’ marquee man. “The Sydney crowd were very vocal that day and it got even louder as the match wore on. I was originally playing on another opponent as Ken had given the task to Jack Hombsch. Buddy had got on top in the third quarter and his confidence was up which is never a good thing for any opposition.” He adds, “So the majority of things I had planned for during the week had been thrown out the window. With Buddy on fire, at that stage I would have been happy to break even with him for the rest of the match provided the team was winning.”

What was to come will go down in Swans folklore.

Lance Franklin’s final quarter netted three sensational goals to effectively win the match for our Swans – by five points. The first, after a chase and tackle earned a holding the ball free kick, sailed through from fifty. The second, an audacious attempt that only our Buddy could concoct – unleashing off a couple of steps from seventy. The third, a ground ball gather, a shake and bake and a low dart from outside fifty. Moments like this are rare. Players like this are even more so.

Carlile recalls those final minutes with a sense of awe. “When he kicked his last two goals it was tough to swallow as it had given their team an edge that couldn’t be shaken and delivered them the win. After the goal where he kicked it from the wing (+ GST), he looked at me, smiled, said, “That’s the last time you will zone off me” which made me laugh, and realise that he was just that good. I’m proud to have made Buddy’s ‘top ten goals’ package, twice in the same game!” he jokes.

The win can be attributed to the winning culture at Sydney, according to Franklin. “I think the best thing about us is that we just love winning and we’ll do anything to win as a club. We love celebrating our wins and we love winning and putting on a show for our supporters, that’s the main thing.” He adds, “We want to go out there and play the best football we can and make our supporters very happy. We want to put a smile on their faces, we want to get the four points every week; not just pick and choose, we want to win every time we go out there.”

Carlile is in agreeance. “They always seemed to have a superstar or two but were always even across the board with the effort they bring to each game. Even now watching the younger players coming through, they bring plenty of flair and showmanship however; they haven’t lost any of the toughness or relentlessness that defined the club. That is cultural.” he states.

For the Swans faithful, the SCG will always be home. Perhaps for the first time, Lance Franklin felt the same.