Goodes helps Black Swans take flight
Adam Goodes and Lewis Jetta were on hand to launch the Club’s newest supporter group, the Black Swans …
With Aunt Lillian beaming by his side, Adam Goodes has officially launched the Swans newest supporter group, the Black Swans.
The Black Swans have banded together through the enthusiastic work of Lillian Crombie, a local indigenous woman who has been watching the Swans play in Sydney for nearly 30 years.
A couple of years ago she approached Swans games record holder Michael O’Loughlin with the idea of making the group of local indigenous fans a more formal supporter group. Mickey O suggested the name, Black Swans, and yesterday it took flight with a function at the Swans offices.
Goodes and Lewis Jetta were on hand to show how much the new supporter group means to them.
Adam said the group would help recently drafted indigenous players such as Jetta and Bryon Sumner settle into Sydney.
“Auntie Lillian texts me before every game to wish me luck. Relationships like that are really important. Looking into the crowd and seeing a mob of black fellas is always a great thing for me,’’ Goodes said.
“Being away from home and being indigenous can be hard because family is so important to us.’’
Goodes believes the supporter group will be something that all his Swans team-mates can embrace.
“It will help us connect with local Aboriginal people and open doors so all our players can better understand indigenous people, culture and the importance of community,’’ he said.
A very proud Lillian Crombie said it was a great day for her.
“We’ll be there on game day waving our flags so they know they’ve always got our support,’’ she said.
Swans chief executive Andrew Ireland said the Club hoped to expand its links with the Aboriginal community in NSW through an indigenous arm of the QBE Sydney Swans Academy.
“There is a large population of Aboriginal people in NSW, and particularly near our regional Academy centres at Newcastle and Coffs Harbour, so we want to encourage indigenous youngsters to try the game because it is a sport they have shown great aptitude for."
If you would like to keep up with what the Black Swans are up to, then you can sign up as a Black Swans Supporter Group member for free today. Click here to register.
