Parade for premiership winning Swans
The premiership winning Sydney Swans will be honoured with a parade through Sydney's CBD this Friday
New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell today announced a street parade will be held in the Sydney CBD for the 2012 AFL Premiers, the Sydney Swans, on Friday.
Mr O’Farrell said the parade along George Street to Sydney Town Hall will give Sydneysiders a chance to turn out to congratulate the Swans for the thrilling win over Hawthorn.
“Saturday’s extraordinary Grand Final win was a fitting reward for this champion team,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“The match will go down as one of the greatest Grand Finals of all-time - and it's testament to Swans’ never say die attitude that they emerged victorious.
“The Swans’ fifth premiership - their second as the Sydney Swans - occurred in the 30th anniversary season since the club relocated from Melbourne.
“In that time they have cemented themselves as one of the most respected football clubs across all codes in Australia and they do our city and state proud every time they take the field.
“Friday’s parade will give all Sydneysiders a chance to pay tribute to coach John Longmire, co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Adam Goodes and all the Swans players.”
Sydney Swans Chairman Richard Colless today said the Club was extremely honoured to be extended the privilege of a street parade through Sydney to celebrate the Swans winning the 2012 AFL premiership.
“We are humbled by the support from everyone in Sydney,” he said.
“I would like to the thank the New South Government, led by Premier Barry O’Farrell, and the City of Sydney for offering the Club the opportunity to celebrate the Premiership win with people of Sydney.
“There could be no more fitting conclusion to our 30th season in Sydney than celebrating a premiership with the people of Sydney,” Mr Colless said.
Swans Premiership coach John Longmire said the Club had received enormous support from the people of Sydney throughout the 2012 season.
“The support we have received throughout our finals campaign has been incredible. Nearly 60,000 fans turned out for our Preliminary Final against Collingwood, more than 2,000 fans attended our training session in Grand Final week and more than 5,000 fans attended our welcome home celebrations at the SCG on Sunday," Longmire said.
“It has been an amazing few weeks for our Club and it is a great honour to have the opportunity to celebrate bringing the AFL Premiership Cup home, with the people of Sydney."
Longmire said a number of the team’s senior players were thrilled to take part in this week’s ticket-tape parade having been involved in a similar home-coming seven years.
“I know that something similar occurred in 2005 and for the players who were involved in that, it remains one of the great highlights of their careers,” he said.
“I did speak to a few of the senior players this morning and it was the first time that I let them know that (the parade) was going to occur and they were wrapped.
“One was Jude Bolton who has been part of this before and he told a couple of the other boys that it is one of the best memories he has ever had, and they were just absolutely thrilled and they can’t wait for Friday.”
The parade will be held this Friday, October 5 commencing at 12.30pm. The parade starting point is the corner of Alfred and George Streets. The parade will conclude at the Sydney Town Hall with an official ceremony hosted by the Deputy Lord Mayor.
