Chapman, who moved to Australia from the UK six years ago, has experienced two significant events in her ‘Aussie’ life over the last 12 months, starting with becoming an Australian citizen in November last year and now becoming an official Swans member almost exactly one year later.
While Chapman has followed the Swans for the majority of her time in Australia, it wasn’t until this year when she became a member of the Ladies @ Sydney Swans that she felt a true connection to the club.
“This year I became a member of the Ladies @ Sydney Swans, and I’ve been a member with them for the past seven months,” Chapman told sydneyswans.com.au.
“Through that I met some wonderful ladies and I’d been talking about getting my membership, but I’d never done it even though I’ve actually supported the Swans since I’ve been here, which is just over six years now.
“I met four ladies in particular who are an absolute riot, and they told me that I needed to get a membership and that’s what made me sign up this year.
“I’m actually going to be sitting with those ladies next year at the SCG, so it’s all good.”
Chapman, who lived in London before making the move to the Harbour City, said she had always been an admirer of AFL, and instantly took a liking to the Swans when she moved to Sydney.
She said she recalled watching AFL while in the UK, and was blown away by the excitement and physicality of the game.
“I had actually seen Aussie Rules football in the UK and I just remember the game and thinking “these players are nuts!” she said.
“It’s obviously not like football in the UK, so I thought I really needed to go and watch a game live just to see how mental it really was!
“When I moved into Sydney, obviously the Sydney Swans were the football team.
“My husband and I just ended up going to a game one time six years ago, and I got a bit hooked from then onwards.”
Like all Swans fans, the 2014 Grand Final was a disappointing day for Chapman, who watched the game alongside thousands of fans at the SCG.
But instead of feeling down about this year’s loss, Chapman said she was looking forward to seeing the team step up in 2015 and challenge again.
“I really want to see the boys move forward and move past it,” she said.
“I was talking to some of them at the Club Champion dinner and they were really very disappointed about what happened, so I really want to see them do well in 2015.
“What I really want to see them do is pick themselves up in 2015 and really give it a damn good go.
“Who knows, it could be the ‘Year of the Swan’.”
