The Sydney Swans are pleased with the 2012 AFL fixture and believe the two clashes with the GWS Giants will create an exciting new aspect to the season.
The chief executive of the Sydney Swans, Andrew Ireland, said the Club liked the mix of nine games at the SCG in 2012, up from eight this year, while still playing three matches at ANZ Stadium.
“Having 12 games in Sydney with nine at the SCG and three at ANZ, including one away game against GWS, is one of the advantages of having a second team in Sydney,’’ Ireland said.
The Swans are also proud to be involved in the stand-alone game against GWS on Saturday March 24, which will kick off the 2012 AFL premiership season.
“The Swans have played many important games at ANZ Stadium during the past decade and the tradition continues with the historic first meeting between our club and the Giants in March. It will be one that fans of both teams should not miss, ’’ Ireland said.
Other highlights of the draw for the Swans include a Friday night game against Geelong at the SCG in Round 13, and six games in Victoria, starting with the round 7 battle with Richmond at the MCG.
“We’re very happy that we have five games in Melbourne to cater for the many fans we have there. We’re also looking forward to heading to Geelong again after our fantastic victory there last season.’’
The Swans will play the first two games of the season in Sydney, with the historic first game against GWS followed by a home game at the SCG on Saturday April 7, against Fremantle under new coach Ross Lyon.
The Saturday twilight timeslot, which was trialled successfully in round 24 this year against the Brisbane Lions at the SCG, will be a feature of the draw for the Swans in 2012.
The Swans will play three SCG home games in the twilight time slot of 4.40pm - in round 8 on Saturday May 12 against Melbourne, in round 15 on Saturday July 7 against Brisbane, and in round 22 on Saturday August 25 against Hawthorn.
The round 7 (v Richmond at the MCG) and round 9 (v St Kilda at Etihad) games in Melbourne are also in the Saturday twilight timeslot.
“We believe that is a strong timeslot for us and feel it will be popular with our members and supporters,’’ Ireland said.
The Swans will travel to Tasmania’s Aurora Stadium to play Hawthorn in round 5, and have a trip to Perth to play the West Coast Eagles in round 16.
The three ANZ Stadium games will all be feature matches, with two against the Giants (round 1 and round 14) and one against now traditional Homebush Bay rivals, Collingwood (round 20).
Members and supporters of the Sydney Swans should stay tuned to the website for details on membership and ticketing in 2012. If you're interested in becoming a member, you can register for the Swans Membership Draft on the website.
