Sydney Swans

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Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans logo
Full name Sydney Swans Football Club
Nickname The Swans / The Bloods
Strip Red and white guernsey, red shorts, red and white hooped socks
Founded 1874 (moved to Sydney 1982)
Sport Australian rules football
League Australian Football League
First season 1897 (1982 as Sydney)
Ground The SCG and Telstra Stadium
Club song The Red and the White
President/Chair Richard Colless
Coach Paul Roos
Captain Barry Hall, Brett Kirk & Leo Barry
2006 Runners-Up

The Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales.

The South Melbourne Football Club relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney Swans, which is the first, and only AFL club to be based in the state.

The Swans play most home games at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with 'blockbuster' games played at Telstra Stadium (the former Olympic Stadium at Homebush Bay).

The club has won premierships in 1909, 1918 and 1933 (as South Melbourne), and in 2005 (as the Sydney Swans).

Sydney was defeated by the West Coast Eagles for the 2006 premiership title on 30 September 2006, losing by one point - the closest Grand Final result since 1966 [1]. The previous year, they defeated the Eagles on 24 September 2005 by four points (58-54). This had been their first Grand Final win in 72 years.

Contents

[edit] History

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Old South Melbourne Football Club shield
Old South Melbourne Football Club shield
All that remains of the Swan's old Lake Oval ground, a single grandstand built in 1926, now unused and in a state of disrepear, but flagged as a possible club museum
All that remains of the Swan's old Lake Oval ground, a single grandstand built in 1926, now unused and in a state of disrepear, but flagged as a possible club museum

The inauguration date of the club is officially June 19, 1874, but it only adopted the title South Melbourne Football Club four weeks later, on July 15. The club represented the Melbourne suburb of South Melbourne, one of the city's oldest. In 1880 it absorbed an Albert Park club, and by 1890 had replaced the original blue and white with the now familiar red and white of the South Melbourne coat of arms. Nicknamed "The Bloods" (short for Blood-Stained Angels, in reference to the colours), it played in the Victorian Football Association until 1896 when it was a founding club of the Victorian Football League. The club was based at Lake Oval.

[edit] Early success

The club had early success and won three VFL premierships in 1909, 1918 and 1933. The club was at its most successful in the 1930's, when key recruits from both Victoria and interstate led to a string of appearances in the finals, including 4 successive grand final appearances from 1933-1936, albeit with only one premiership in 1933. It was during this period that the team became known as the Swans, the nickname having been given courtesy of the number of West Australians in the team (Swans being the state emblem of WA). The name stuck, partially due to the association with nearby Albert Park and Lake, also known for its white swans (ironically there are no longer any non-native white swans and only black, indigenous swans in the lake).

After several years with only limited success, South Melbourne next reached the grand final in 1945. The match, played against Carlton, was to become known as "the Bloodbath", courtesy of the brawl that overshadowed the match, with a total of 9 players being reported by the umpires. Carlton won the match by 28 points, and from then on, South Melbourne struggled.

[edit] Struggling Victorian club

It was to be another 25 years before they reached the finals, under the guidance of the legendary Norm Smith. Even so, the club had massive debts after struggling for so long, and in the early 1980s, despite strong supporter opposition, it was given the choice of relocation to Sydney or oblivion.

[edit] Relocation to Sydney

Sydney 1980's shield logo
Sydney 1980's shield logo

The Swans moved to Sydney (and the SCG) in 1982 as part of the VFL's attempts to broaden its appeal, a move which ultimatley culminated in its extension into a national competition, the AFL.

In 1985 the VFL created one of the messiest deals ever associated with football and almost brought an end to the Sydney Swans. On 31 July 1985, for what was thought to be $6.3 million, Dr. Geoffrey Edelsten "bought" the Swans. In reality it was $2.9 million in cash with funding and other payments spread over five years. Edelsten resigned as chairman in less than twelve months.

The move to Sydney is the subject of the Weddings Parties Anything song 'The Swans Return'.

[edit] Dark times

By 1988 the licence was sold back to the VFL for ten dollars. Losses were in the millions. A group of financial backers including Mike Willessee, Basil Sellers, Peter Weinert and Craig Kimberley purchased the licence and bankrolled the club until 1993, when the AFL stepped in.

Following the initial relocation and launch in Sydney, the team began playing at the SCG in front of crowds in excess of 20,000, similar to the regular attendances that old Souths achieved in Melbourne. However attendances at times dropped below 10,000 when the team was performing poorly, far below many of the other clubs in the league.

With substantial monetary and management support from the AFL, the club survived, and with player draft concessions in the early 1990s, the team fielded a competitive team through the decade. During this time, the side was largely held together by inspirational skipper and prodigious home grown talent from Wagga Wagga, Paul Kelly.

Desperate to hang on, the club was keen to enlist the biggest names and identities in the AFL, and recruited legendary coach Ron Barassi who helped save the club from extinction while serving them as coach from Round 7, 1993 to 1995. At roughly the same time, Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton was also recruited.

Although the club was building, it still continued to struggle.

[edit] Return to finals football and media spotlight

The Red and White army celebrate a goal at the AFL Grand Final
The Red and White army celebrate a goal at the AFL Grand Final

A big coup for the club was recruitment of St Kilda Football Club champion Tony "Plugger" Lockett in 1995. Lockett became a cult figure in Sydney, with an instant impact and along wth the superleague war in the rival rugby league football code in Australia, helped the Swans to pull in larger crowds.

In 1996 the Swans lost the grand final to North Melbourne, which had been their first appearance in a grand final since 1945. The game was played in front of 93,102 at the MCG.

Since 1996, the Swans have made the finals in each season except 2000 and 2002. By 1997, the average for home ground attendances had peaked at 36,612.

A new home ground in Telstra Stadium provided increased capacity over the SCG. The Swans' first game played at the stadium in round 9, 2002 attracted 54,169 spectators. The Sydney Swans v Collingwood match at Telstra Stadium on August 23, 2003 set an attendance record for the largest crowd to watch an AFL game outside of Victoria with an official attendance of 72,393 (near capacity) and was the largest home and away AFL crowd at any stadium for 2003. A preliminary final against the Brisbane Lions at Telstra Stadium in 2003 attracted 71,019 people.

Sydney was able to recruit another St Kilda export in the Lockett mould, Barry Hall, a large forward with a wily reputation, who after initially playing in the shadow of Lockett in his twilight years, relished in the new surrounds and eventually became a cult figure and club leader in his own right.

When Telstra Stadium was unavailable for the 2005 semi final, the game against Geelong drew a crowd of 39,079 at the SCG. The record crowd for an AFL fixture at that venue is 46,168 in 1997 also against Geelong.

The culmination of the recent success is the 2005 premiership against the West Coast Eagles played in front of 91,898 at the MCG taking the flag to Sydney for the first time and breaking a 72 year drought for the club. It also broke the longest premiership drought in the history of the competition.

Partly as a result of the exclusive marketshare, crowds at home games tend to be larger on average than those drawn by the nine National Rugby League clubs in Sydney, despite the fact that rugby league is well established as Sydney's most popular football code.

Over the history of the AFL, the Swans have been one of the most innovative clubs in the VFL/AFL in finding new markets. In recent years, the club has invested time and energy in the US market (with the help of coach Paul Roos). In 2006 as part of Australia Week celebrations in the USA, the Sydney Swans were beaten by the Kangaroos Football Club in an exhibition match at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). The club formed affiliation agreements with the Los Angeles Swans and the Chicago Swans in the USAFL.

[edit] 2005 Grand Final

Main article: 2005 AFL Finals Series
2005 Toyota AFL Grand Final G B Total
Sydney 8 10 58
West Coast 7 12 54
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground Crowd: 91,898

Sydney played the AFL Grand Final on 24 September 2005 against the West Coast Eagles defeating them by 4 points, final score 8.10 (58) to West Coast's 7.12 (54). In the last few minutes, the Sydney defence held strong, with Leo Barry marking the ball just before the siren to stop the Eagles' final desperate shot at goal. The premiership was the Swans' first in 72 years and their first since being based in Sydney. It was also the fifth premiership in succession to be won by a team outside Victoria.

In 2005 the Swans came under enormous public scrutiny, even from AFL commissioner Andrew Demetriou for their unorthodox, "boring" defense-oriented tactics that included tightly controlling the tempo of the game and starving the opposition of possession (in fact, seven teams that season had their lowest possession total whilst playing against the Swans). The coach Paul Roos maintained that playing contested football was the style used by all recent premiership winning teams, and felt that it was ironic that the much criticised strategy proved ultimately successful.

On Friday, 30 September 2005 a ticker tape parade down Sydney's George Street was held in honour of the Swans' achievements, which ended with a rally at Town Hall, where Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore presented the team with the key to the city. The flag of the Swans also flew on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the week; the same flag was later given to WA premier Geoff Gallop to fly on top of the state legislature in Perth as part of the friendly wager between Gallop and NSW premier Morris Iemma.

[edit] 2006 Season

[edit] At a glance

Main article: Sydney Swans 2006 Season
Rnd 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
Opp Ess PA Car Mel Gee BL Ric WB Haw Kan StK Col Fre Ade WCE Ric PA Ess Mel Gee BL Car
Venue TD SCG TD SCG TS G TD SCG MCG MO SCG TS SCG SCG S SCG AS SCG MCG SS TS SCG
Result L L W L W W W W W W L L W L L W W W W L W W
Margin 27 26 7 5 22 32 118 26 65 7 2 13 33 39 2 48 27 43 32 27 57 92
Postn 12 14 12 12 9 8 5 4 4 4 4 6 6 6 7 7 6 4 3 5 5 4
Main article: Sydney Swans 2006 Season

The Swans started 2006 quietly with multiple pre-season losses and poor performances early in the home and away season. The media diagnosed a "premiership hangover". Despite this, they finished the season strongly in 4th place, obtaining a double chance in the finals and a home Preliminary Final berth after a strong one-point victory over the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco Oval in Perth. The Swans defeated Fremantle by a considerable margin at Telstra Stadium. However in the 2006 AFL Grand Final, they were defeated by the West Coast Eagles by a solitary point.

[edit] 2006 Grand Final

Sydney Swans squad for the 2006 AFL Grand Final
Sydney Swans squad for the 2006 AFL Grand Final
2006 Toyota AFL Grand Final G B Total
Sydney 12 12 84
West Coast 12 13 85
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground Crowd: 97, 431
Main article: 2006 AFL Grand Final

The 2006 AFL Grand Final was contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 30, 2006. The West Coast Eagles avenged their 2005 Grand Final defeat by beating the Sydney Swans by one point, to record only the fourth one point Grand Final margin in the competition's history.

The rivalry between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles has become one of the greatest rivalries in VFL/AFL history. The last six games between the two sides have been decided by a combined margin of 13 points. Four of those six games were finals.

[edit] Paul Roos Era

Since taking over the reins as head coach of the club midway through 2002, Paul Roos has gone on to become one of the most successful coaches in the clubs history. In the four full seasons he has been coaching, Roos has taken the team to a finals series every year, including two grand final appearances and one premiership.

[edit] Supporter base

As the only AFL club in Sydney, the Swans have a large population base to draw on. In 2006, following the first premiership in 72 years, the club achieved a record membership and the biggest since 1999. There is still a healthy Melbourne following for the Swans, particularly a revival in the late 1990s sees approximately 7,000 Swans members in the city and good support for the team when they play in Melbourne.

Year Members Finishing position² Average Home crowd
1982 7th 15,993
1983 11th 12,025
1984 2,750 10th 12,497
1985 2,777 10th 10,137
1986 4,927 4th, semi-finalists 25,819
1987 3,594 4th, semi-finalists 22,032
1988 2,516 7th 12,311
1989 2,631 7th 12,317
1990 2,624 13th 9,178
1991 2,907 12th 11,521
1992 3,020 15th 9,881
1993 3,097 15th 9,423
1994 3,327 15th 9,813
1995 6,088 12th 15,949
1996 9,525 2nd, runners-up 24,996
1997 22,109 7th, qualifying finalists 36,612
1998 31,089 5th, semi-finalists 31,549
1999 31,175 8th, qualifying finalists 30,586
2000 30,177 10th 25,308
2001 28,022 7th, elimination finalists 27,556
2002 27,755 11th 25,270
2003 21,270 3rd, preliminary finalists 32,244
2004 25,010 5th, semi-finalists 30,964
2005 24,955 1st, premiers 31,516
2006 30,382¹ 2nd, runners-up 32,877¹

¹(as at 30 June, 2006) [2] ²following finals matches

[edit] Rivalries

[edit] St Kilda

The Swans share a long and storied rivalry with St Kilda that dates back to the days when South Melbourne played at Lake Oval on the other side of Melbourne's Albert Park, not far from St Kilda's old home ground at Junction Oval. To this day the Swans and the Saints play for the Lake Trophy every year during the home-and-away season.

[edit] West Coast Eagles

The Swans are developing arguably their most famous modern rivalry against the Perth based West Coast Eagles. The six most recent games between the two teams (that is, from the 2005 Qualifying Final to the Round 1 match of 2007 have each been decided by less than a goal, resulting in two wins to Sydney and 4 to West Coast (including a Grand Final win each!). The difference in aggregate across the six games is three points and the sum of the margins is thirteen points.

Ironically, in 2005, Sydney lost an away game Qualifying Final to the Eagles by four points, only to later win the Grand Final by four points against the Eagles. In 2006, the Eagles lost a home Qualifying Final to Sydney by one point, only to later win the Grand Final by one point against the Swans.

The two teams met again in the Grand Final Rematch in Round One 2007 at Sydney's Telstra Stadium. Experts believed the match could go either way as the Swans are notorious slow starters to the season and the Eagles had experienced a controversial pre-season and were without one of their champions Ben Cousins who was in the USA undergoing rehabilitation for a substance abuse problem while other star players Dean Cox and Andrew Embley missed the game through injury. The Eagles established a 37 point lead in the second half however the Swans displayed their never-say-die Bloods spirit and fought back to be within one point when the final siren blew. For the third consecutive game between these two clubs the result was decided by a solitary point.

Below are the results of the recent clashes between these rivals:

  • 2005 Qualifying Final, Subiaco
 West Coast 10.9 (69)
 Sydney 10.5 (65)
  • 2005 Grand Final, MCG
 Sydney 8.10 (58)
 West Coast 7.12 (54)
  • 2006 Round 15, Subiaco
 West Coast 9.13 (67)
 Sydney 9.11 (65)
  • 2006 Qualifying Final, Subiaco
 Sydney 13.7 (85)
 West Coast 12.12 (84)
  • 2006 Grand Final, MCG
 West Coast 12.13 (85)
 Sydney Swans 12.12 (84)
  • 2007, Round 1, Telstra Stadium
 West Coast 11.8. (74)
 Sydney Swans 10.13 (73)

[edit] Brisbane Lions

The Swans share a strong rivalry with the Brisbane Lions, which is based on the ongoing sporting and political rivalry between the two states New South Wales and Queensland. Since the mid 1990s the two sides have played for the Alan Schwab Shield, named after the late AFL administrator who worked to establish the two sides in traditional rugby league territory. Between them the two clubs have won four of the past six AFL Premierships.

[edit] Trivia

  • On Grand Final eve, 1935, as the Swans prepared to take on Collingwood, star full-forward Bob Pratt was clipped by a truck moments after stepping off a tram and subsequently missed the match for South.
  • South Melbourne's original team logo in latin was "aut vincere aut mori" which in modern English translates to "either to conquer or to die".

[edit] VFL/AFL Premierships

[edit] Premiers

  • 1909 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated Carlton 4.14 (38) to 4.12 (36)
  • 1918 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated Collingwood 9.8 (62) to 7.15 (57)
  • 1933 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated Richmond 9.17 (71) to 4.5 (29)
  • 2005 -- defeated West Coast 8.10 (58) to 7.12 (54), first flag after relocation

[edit] Runners-up

  • 1899 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated by Fitzroy 3.9 (27) to 3.8 (26)
  • 1907 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated by Carlton 6.14 (50) to 6.9 (45)
  • 1912 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated by Essendon 5.17 (47) to 4.9 (33)
  • 1914 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated by Carlton 6.9 (45) to 4.15 (39)
  • 1934 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated by Richmond 19.14 (128) to 12.17 (89)
  • 1935 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated by Collingwood 11.12 (78) to 7.16 (58)
  • 1936 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated by Collingwood 11.23 (89) to 10.18 (78)
  • 1945 (as South Melbourne) -- defeated by Carlton 15.13 (103) to 10.15 (75); match is legendary for the brutal violence that earned the Swans the moniker "Blood-Stained Angels"
  • 1996 -- defeated by the Kangaroos 19.17 (131) to 13.10 (88); first grand final appearance after relocation
  • 2006 -- defeated by West Coast Eagles 12.13 (85) to 12.12 (84)

[edit] Current squad

As of December 20, 2006:

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Rookies:


[edit] Honour roll

Year Posn Coach Captain Best & Fairest Leading goalkicker (goals)
1949 10 Jack Hale Bert Lucas Ron Clegg Ray Jones (27)
1950 11 Gordon Lane Gordon Lane Billy Williams Gordon Lane (47)
1951 8 Gordon Lane Gordon Lane Ron Clegg Billy Williams (41)
1952 5 Gordon Lane Gordon Lane Keith Schaefer Gordon Lane (33)
1953 8 Laurie Nash Ron Clegg Jim Taylor Ian Gillett (34)
1954 10 Herbie Matthews Ron Clegg Eddie Lane Eddie Lane (28)
1955 10 Herbie Matthews Bill Gunn Ian Gillett Eddie Lane (36)
1956 9 Herbie Matthews Ian Gillett Jim Dorgan Bill Gunn (28)
1957 10 Herbie Matthews Ron Clegg Jim Taylor Fred Goldsmith (43)
1958 9 Ron Clegg Ron Clegg Bob Skilton Max Oaten (34)
1959 9 Ron Clegg Ron Clegg Bob Skilton Bob Skilton (60)
1960 8 Bill Faul Ron Clegg Frank Johnson Max Oaten (39)
1961 11 Bill Faul Bob Skilton Bob Skilton Brian McGowan (38)
1962 12 Noel McMahen Bob Skilton Bob Skilton Bob Skilton (36)
1963 11 Noel McMahen Bob Skilton Bob Skilton Bob Skilton (36)
1964 11 Noel McMahen Bob Skilton Bob Skilton Max Papley (25)
1965 8 Bob Skilton Bob Skilton Bob Skilton Ron Kingston (48)
1966 8 Bob Skilton Bob Skilton Max Papley Austin Robertson (60)
1967 9 Allan Miller Bob Skilton Bob Skilton John Sudholz (35)
1968 9 Allan Miller Bob Skilton Bob Skilton John Sudholz (36)
1969 9 Norm Smith Bob Skilton Peter Bedford John Sudholz (35)
1970 4 Norm Smith Bob Skilton Peter Bedford John Sudholz (62)
1971 12 Norm Smith Bob Skilton Peter Bedford Peter Bedford (44)
1972 11 Norm Smith John Rantall Russell Cook Peter Bedford (28)
1973 12 Graeme John Peter Bedford Peter Bedford Peter Bedford (52)
1974 9 Graeme John Peter Bedford Norm Goss Norm Goss (37)
1975 12 Graeme John Peter Bedford Peter Bedford Graham Teasdale (38)
1976 8 Ian Stewart Peter Bedford Rick Quade Robert Dean (37)
1977 5 Ian Stewart Rick Quade Graham Teasdale Graham Teasdale (38)
1978 8 Des Tuddenham Rick Quade John Murphy John Murphy (31)
1979 10 Ian Stewart Rick Quade Barry Round Tony Morwood (56)
1980 6 Ian Stewart Barry Round David Ackerley John Roberts (67)
1981 9 Ian Stewart Barry Round Barry Round John Roberts (51)
19821 7 Rick Quade Barry Round David Ackerley Tony Morwood (45)
1983 11 Rick Quade Barry Round Mark Browning Craig Braddy (48)
1984 10 Rick Quade,

Bob Hammond

 Barry Round,

Mark Browning

 Bernie Evans Warwick Capper (39)
1985 10 John Northey Mark Browning Stephen Wright Warwick Capper (45)
1986 4 Tom Hafey Dennis Carroll Gerard Healy Warwick Capper (92)
1987 4 Tom Hafey Dennis Carroll Gerard Healy Warwick Capper (103)
1988 7 Tom Hafey Dennis Carroll Gerard Healy Barry Mitchell (35)
1989 7 Col Kinnear Dennis Carroll Mark Bayes Bernard Toohey (27)
1990 13 Col Kinnear Dennis Carroll Stephen Wright Jim West (34)
1991 12 Col Kinnear Dennis Carroll Barry Mitchell Jason Love (52)
1992 15 Gary Buckenara Dennis Carroll Paul Kelly Simon Minton-Connell (60)
1993 15 Gary Buckenara, Ron Barassi Paul Kelly Paul Kelly Simon Minton-Connell (41)
1994 15 Ron Barassi Paul Kelly Daryn Creswell Simon Minton-Connell (68)
1995 12 Ron Barassi Paul Kelly Tony Lockett Tony Lockett (110)
1996 2 Rodney Eade Paul Kelly Paul Kelly Tony Lockett (121)
1997 7 Rodney Eade Paul Kelly Paul Kelly Tony Lockett (37)
1998 5 Rodney Eade Paul Kelly Michael O'Loughlin Tony Lockett (109)
1999 8 Rodney Eade Paul Kelly Wayne Schwass Tony Lockett (82)
2000 10 Rodney Eade Paul Kelly Andrew Schauble Michael O'Loughlin (53)
2001 7 Rodney Eade Paul Kelly Paul Williams Michael O'Loughlin (35)
2002 11 Rodney Eade, Paul Roos Paul Kelly Paul Williams Barry Hall (55)
2003 4 Paul Roos Stuart Maxfield Adam Goodes Barry Hall (64)
2004 5 Paul Roos Stuart Maxfield Barry Hall Barry Hall (74)
2005 1 Paul Roos Stuart Maxfield2 Brett Kirk Barry Hall (80)
2006 2 Paul Roos Barry Hall, Brett Kirk and Leo Barry Adam Goodes Barry Hall (78)

1: Relocated to Sydney
2: Six rounds into the 2005 season, Stuart Maxfield ended his playing career due to chronic injury. Six players rotated as captain throughout the rest of the season: Brett Kirk (rounds 7, 8, 19 and 20), Leo Barry (rounds 9, 10, 21 and 22), Barry Hall (rounds 11, 12 and the entire finals series), Ben Mathews (rounds 13 and 14), Adam Goodes (rounds 15 and 16) and Jude Bolton (rounds 17 and 18).

[edit] Individual awards

[edit] Best and Fairest

See Bob Skilton Medal

[edit] Brownlow Medal winners

[edit] South Melbourne

[edit] Sydney

[edit] Leigh Matthews Trophy winners

[edit] Coleman Medal winners

[edit] AFL Rising Star winners

[edit] Mark of the Year winners

[edit] Australian Football Hall of Fame players

[edit] Team of the Century

Sydney announced its team of the century on August 8, 2003:

Sydney Swans Team of the Century
B: John Rantall John Heriot Vic Belcher
HB: Bill Faul Ron Clegg Dennis Carroll
C: David Murphy Greg Williams Herb Matthews
HF: Tony Morwood Laurie Nash Gerard Healy
F: Bob Pratt Tony Lockett Paul Kelly (Vice-Captain)
Foll: Barry Round Peter Bedford Bob Skilton (Captain)
Int: Bill Williams Stevie Wright Daryn Cresswell
Fred Goldsmith Mark Bayes Harry Clarke, Mark Tandy
Coach: Jack Bissett

[edit] Corporate

[edit] Administration

Presidents:

CEOs:

[edit] Sponsorship

Principal Sponsor:

Premier Partners:[3]

  • Citibank (2005-present)
  • Australia Post
  • Coca-Cola Amatil
  • Expedia.com.au
  • Ford
  • Optus
  • Panasonic
  • Puma
  • Riverside Oaks
  • Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph

Major Partners

  • Carlton Draught
  • MSA
  • myhome.com.au
  • NSW Health
  • PriceWaterhouseCoopers
  • Selleys

[edit] Supported Charities

[edit] Club jumper

Home
The home jumper is red with a white "V" and stylized Sydney Opera House down the front.
The home jumper is red with a white "V" and stylized Sydney Opera House down the front.

The current club jumper was introduced at the start of the 1987 season that replaced the traditional 1933 South Melbourne design. The jumper is white with a red back and a red yoke with a silhouette of the Sydney Opera House at the point of the yoke. The club's 2007 major sponsor is QBE Insurance.

[edit] Club mascot

Main article: AFL Mascot Manor
Syd 'Swannie' Skilton, Sydney Swans Mascot Manor mascot
Syd 'Swannie' Skilton, Sydney Swans Mascot Manor mascot

The Sydney Swans mascot for the AFL's Mascot Manor is Syd 'Swannie' Skilton. He is named after Swans legend Bob Skilton.

The actual mascot at Swans home games is still known as Cygie. (as in cygnet).

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ [1] Eagles hold off Swans in thriller

[edit] External links

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