We continue our countdown to the biggest event in the Club’s history - the 25 year Anniversary Dinner. Follow the highs and lows of each year the Swans have been in Sydney every day on sydneyswans.com.au leading up to the event. Here is 1999...
While not as successful on-field as 1998 had been, 1999 was a very memorable year in the history of the Sydney Swans. It marked the debut of a future Swans champion, and the retirement – albeit temporary – of one of the true greats of the game.
Round one, and the Swans were comprehensively outclassed by Port Adelaide at the SCG, and even more worrying than the loss was the fact that Tony Lockett was added to the already substantial injury list, and would not face Richmond in round two.
Richmond and Essendon inflicted two more losses on the Swans, and after three rounds of the season, Sydney was winless on the bottom of the ladder.
Going into the round four match against North Melbourne, the eastern suburbs of Sydney were battered by a hailstorm astonishing in its ferocity. The team could not complete their main training session as hailstones the size of tennis balls fell onto the SCG.
Yet 48 hours later, the Swans were magnificent as they clawed back an eight goal deficit late in the game to defeat North 10.12 (72) to 10.10 (70).
Early in the game, ruckman Greg Stafford left the ground with a knee injury. Adam Goodes moved into the ruck, and dominated the game from that point on. It was his first season of senior football, and this was the night he firmly established himself as a future superstar of the game. The victory over the Kangaroos was particularly sweet, as North had announced that they were to play five “home” games at the SCG that season - a decision not widely applauded by Swans supporters.
A loss to Adelaide on their home turf followed, before the Swans travelled to Perth to play the winless Fremantle. Lockett returned from four weeks out with injury, and his five goals were instrumental in the team’s 25-point win over Fremantle.
The Swans’ season was back on track.
Without a doubt, the most significant day for the Sydney Swans in 1999 came on 6 June at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Swans played Collingwood, and Lockett officially became the VFL/AFL’s all-time greatest full-forward when he broke Gordon Coventry’s longstanding record of 1299 career goals.
Coventry had played 18 seasons with Collingwood, retiring in 1937. For more than 60 years, the football world had waited with anticipation to discover whether his record would ever be broken.
'Plugger' went into the game with 1297 goals to his credit, and there was a full house at the SCG to see football history in the making. The moment finally came seconds before quarter time.
Paul Kelly kicked to his good mate Plugger, 35 metres out in the forward pocket in front of the Noble Stand. It wasn’t the prettiest kick, but it floated through for a goal, and football history was made. Plugger finished with nine goals for the game, and the Swans celebrated a 49-point win. For the Sydney Swans, it was the greatest moment of the season.
The team ultimately finished in eighth position on the ladder at the end of the home and away season, with a round 22 loss to Hawthorn in the last game to be played at Waverley putting an end to hopes for a better position heading into the finals.
The following week, the Swans’ 1999 season was over, as first-placed Essendon registered a 18.15 (123) to 7.12 (54) victory over the team in the fourth Qualifying Final. Lockett bowed out of the game, with a record 1357 goals to his name.
