The NSW Blues (both Sheffield Shield and State of Origin) have done it; the Waratahs have done it; and the Swans continue on their record-reaching, winning ways. We hope they might do it.
Whether it’s the coffee man at the EQ markets, travellers on the ferry, the kids across the road, business people in the city, or the record 40,000 members, the whole town is talking about our Swans. They’re with us, they believe in us, they know we’re very good at what we do.
We too have continued to be inspired by our Club.
A couple of weeks back; we attended the ‘Nominate Your Mate’ awards night in the Brewers Room in the new stand at the SCG. What a great venue and what a fantastic stand from which to watch the game.
All members who had signed up at least two new members during the year were invited, with a prize for the member who achieved the greatest number. Dean Aikin was the 2014 winner with an amazing 27 signings. He has won a double pass to the 2014 Club Champion Dinner and the ultimate match day experience to enjoy with his mates, including premium seating for eight people.
All who nominated new members in 2014 were eligible to be in the draw to win a brand new Volkswagen and Lee Martin was the lucky winner, and is now the owner of a Volkswagen Golf 90TSI Comfortline 7 Speed DSG 1.4 litre TSI with BlueMotion Technology, valued at $29,490 (including on road costs).
The total number of new members recruited by existing members in 2014 was 1050. What a great effort. Be in it next year and who knows…
A number of mainly younger players were at this function. It was good to talk to some of these fine young men who are making their way at our Club. Matthew Dick, Jordan Lockyer, Brandon Jack, Zak Jones, Jake Lloyd and George Hewett were just some of the players we met for the first time, and all were very positive about the Club and also about life in Sydney.
Tim Membrey has seen his two house-mates debut this year and told us that he was working very hard and just bursting to get a game. How delighted we were to see him run out against Essendon and make a great contribution, or ‘play his role’ as they always say.
On a very enjoyable night, Rhyce Shaw acted as quizmaster, asking questions of the players, most of which had been written by the audience. A successful career as an MC/comedian/quiz master surely awaits Rhyce if he wants it when his Swans days are over…but not for a while we hope.
Later that week we were in Melbourne for the Legends Dinner at the Crown Complex, which was a tribute to Jude Bolton's 325 game career, and what an outstanding career it was. Nearly 600 were there including a large group from Sydney.
The format was a "This is your Life" retrospective and included stories from his early coach, the man who recruited him, his first Swans house mates at Daphne St Botany - Ryan Fitzgerald and Heath James, premiership team mates Micky O and Paul Williams, tributes from coaches Rodney Eade and Roosy, and recollections from Jude's dad, his childhood best mate who went on to be a Melbourne Tigers basketball, and his lovely wife Lynette.
Bob Skilton presented Jude with his Past Players commemorative Guernsey, embossed with the achievements from his 15-year career. Bob noted that while Jude was the 1,297th debutant at the club, he was the first Sydney Swans player to retire since the guernsey tradition was commenced many years ago, to have two premierships listed on his jumper.
“There’s one special line on Jude’s jumper that we’re all envious of, and all of us who have worn the red and white just love the fact that Jude’s will say two premierships,” Skilton told Swans TV on the night.
It was a memorable and celebratory night for all who were there. We were bowled-over to see Jude, as fresh as a daisy, on TV doing the boundary rider commentary from the Gold Coast early the next afternoon. But we should have expected no less.
At the function we caught up with Rowan Warfe (#33) who, we recall, played as a fast, rangy back man for the Swans from 1997 to 2004. He now lives in Bendigo but still very interested in all things Sydney Swans. Rowan was Jude’s first landlord in Sydney!
We also had a trip down memory lane, meeting up after four decades with Chris Reilly, a long-time Swans benefactor and supporter. Maree and Chris were prefects in the same year at brother/sister schools in Melbourne over 50 years ago. Peter and Chris had worked together at the same company when both were newly graduated from university and were starting out their careers. And here we all were again in 2014, brought together by our Swans.
Chris recounted how his grandparents had owned the Bleakhouse Hotel on the corner of Beaconsfield Parade and Victoria Street, Albert Park back in the 1920s and 30s, and how young South Melbourne players from country or interstate boarded there...so establishing a long family connection with the red and the white. We drove past The Bleakhouse the following day to see it is now an upmarket restaurant with a less Dickensian name, though, it seems, within the shell of the old pub.
We also took the opportunity to see the old Temperance Hall, still standing on the corner of Napier and Church Streets, South Melbourne. It was here that a meeting was held in 1874, which ultimately led to the establishment of the football club which became part of the inaugural Victorian Football Association competition in 1878. This club is still in existence today, still wearing red and white, and is now known as the Sydney Swans.
Maree and Peter outside the old Temperance Hall South Melbourne
The serendipitous adventures of footy followers had been evident the previous day when we had wandered into a men’s clothing store on Clarendon Street, South Melbourne. The manager noticed Peter’s Swans scarf and then followed with a marvellous conversation about her late father, David Bourke, who had been a long time Swans’ supporter. He died in May 2005 but, according to his lovely daughter, he was at the MCG in September in spirit when Leo Barry took that famous mark to secure a premiership for his beloved Bloods!
Next evening was the battle with the Hawks at the MCG. The largest crowd ever to see a Swans’ home and away game was treated to a match, which reminded us why we love Australian football so much. This was a game that in many ways was a replica of the 2012 Grand Final including the 10-point winning margin, a number 23 kicking three goals and five behinds in both games, the Swans kicking the first two goals after half time only to see it wound back, and then finishing strongly. It wasn’t the result we wanted but we were consoled by the thought that you often learn more from a close defeat than from a close victory.
Back in Sydney, on the Thursday before the Essendon game, we joined the Cheer Squad for the making of the banner.
The red framed background had been assembled back in January and what had to be done on this night was to attach the messages. These were, on one side, the celebration of Citi’s 10-year sponsorship of the Swans, and on the other, the celebration of attaining a record 40,000 proud Swans members.
About 30 ‘Cheer Squaders’ regularly put the banners together with precision and meticulous attention to detail. Special care is needed when walking and sticking the words onto the red crepe paper background, to ensure that no tears occur. Tears, no matter how small, can be caught by the wind when the banner is raised and the whole thing ruined before the players get to run through. So, armed with large rolls of sticky tape, we all removed our shoes and trod carefully.
Cathy Marney, a Sydney Swans Football Club Life Member, is the leader of the Squad. Others we met included Peta-Joy and Lewis Jetta’s Uncle Graham from the Black Swans supporter group, Lee, Kylie, Nicole, Sharon, Franklin, and many other cheerful workers including sundry children. Some had brought cakes and savouries to keep our energy up during the three-hour plus task.
We learned that there are AFL rules governing the banner size; the Club decides what goes on it; and Cathy designs the layout for the player milestone games. Her job entails liaising with the sign writer/designer who supplies the words for each banner, in a format which allows easy sticking to the red frame. Prior to 1996, each letter for these words was cut out by hand. It is, however, still a meticulous task, and it was a sight to see 30 shoeless people padding very carefully around in the depths of the SCG.
There is a special procedure for rolling up and attaching the banner to the poles which take the ropes for raising it. Again, AFL rules stipulate that 26 is the maximum number allowed on the ground to unfurl and hold up the banner, and all have to be approved by the AFL to enter the playing arena. We’ll help with this task before the Richmond game at ANZ Stadium.
Cathy is a member of the AFL Cheer Squad League and, as such, she or a Melbourne representative attends AFL sponsored meetings and briefings with other members. The AFL Cheer Squad League has a code of conduct to which all members must adhere. She also told us that each of the southern Swans interstate supporter groups is responsible for doing the banners when the Swans play away from home, while the Sydney-based cheer squad takes care of NSW and Queensland games.
We came home from banner-making with a new found admiration for the hundreds of volunteers who put in for our Club every week.
All hands on deck for the Sydney Swans Cheer Squad
The very talented Sydney Swans Cheer Squad
On the Friday evening, we watched from the stands with pride as our banner was unfurled. We were thrilled that the 40,000 member goal had been achieved and that a very little part of our handiwork was on display.
The Swans’ Membership Department, led so capably by Natalie and her team, is regularly voted by the fans in AFL surveys as the best in the land. We are very lucky to have them.
The Swans/Dons game gave us another win in a dour game played in freezing and windy weather, without Lance Franklin.
We watched the game with special friends, former Melbourne Demons U19’s player, Swans’ owner, director and long-time fan, Graeme Herring, and wife Joan. When we became the Number One Ticket Holders for 2014, Joan gave Maree her red and white linen scarf. Maree had always admired this scarf and it has now become her talisman. It has been to every match so far this season, and appears to bring good luck! Thanks Joan.
And now it’s on to Adelaide for a return match with Port, a catch up with the Adelaide fans and who knows what other adventures…
Your Number One Ticket Holders
Peter and Maree
