We two Swans migrate south annually to join extended family at Airey’s Inlet, near the Split Point Lighthouse on the Great Ocean Road. This summer we deviated via Wagga Wagga to catch up with the local Swans’ Supporter group.
It was only three days after Christmas, but amazingly, Marg Hoey, the Wagga supporters’ convener, had gathered some stalwarts to meet us at the local Australian Rules Club. Over a toasted sandwich we shared favourite Swans stories with Marg, Carole, Maurice, Kevin, Rowie, Bev, Ray, Coral and Linda.
Maree and Peter Thomas with the Wagga Supporters group
Wagga was the centre of the old South Melbourne recruiting zone. Many famous players came from the area, including Rick Quade (Ariah Park), a Swans’ captain and coach, and a young Dennis Carroll (Ganmain) also a captain.
When four local Riverina-Wagga boys made the Sydney Swans 1996 Grand Final team - led by captain Paul Kelly, with Jason Mooney at centre half forward, and Brad Seymour and Daniel McPherson on the back line, Marg Hoey set up outside the local newsagent with a pen and two big pieces of cardboard to gather local messages of support for the team. 24 sheets of cardboard later, she knew there was the nucleus of a supporter group. And so was born the first of the now six officially constituted supporter groups around Australia, outside the Swans’ main bases of Sydney and Melbourne.
The Wagga supporters have a designated area at the local Aussie Rules Club to meet and watch Swans’ matches. There are several cabinets with Swans’ memorabilia displayed.
The group also arranges bus trips and accommodation, when necessary, for travel to matches in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. The 2014 travel schedule is for Rounds 2, 13, 17 (five days to Gold Coast) 18, and 21. Marg can be contacted on 0414 214 729 for bookings.
They are proud of Swans’ 2005 premiership-winning locals Brett Kirk, Leo Barry, Ben Mathews and Adam Schneider. But times have changed for Wagga and the supporter group is facing challenges.
The area is now in the GWS designated zone. The group and the region no longer enjoy pre-season Swans’ matches; or visits by the team and players to help promote Swans’ support and game development; or the home and away matches in which the Swans regularly played in nearby Canberra.
But the code itself seems to be thriving. According to Ray, there are nine Aussie Rules clubs within the immediate Wagga area, playing in two leagues, and many young kids in Auskick. So how do we get these families to support the Swans? Our two very important current Riverina links are coach John Longmire and young Harry Cunningham. So, go John! And go Harry!
Swans support was also alive and well among the sand dunes and the 500 nippers on the beach below the newly rebuilt Fairhaven Surf Club clubhouse on Victoria’s Surf Coast.
Wearing a Swans cap on the beach is a great conversation starter! We chatted to Mick about our team's prospects in 2014, and his family’s long commitment to the Bloods. We then discovered he is the proud owner of an expertly commissioned surfboard which might just be our good luck talisman, since he took possession of it in the weeks preceding the 2012 triumph.
Maree and Peter with Mick’s surfboard down in Fairhaven
And as we two Swans headed north again, we received reports of five baby swans which had that morning appeared in the reeds and rushes at the world renowned nature reserve below the Lighthouse. Could it again be the year of the Swan?
This is the first of what we hope will be a regular report on our experiences as number one ticket holders.
Cheer, cheer
Maree and Peter Thomas
