For the Melbourne based fans....

[Triple B]

With the distinct possibility of us having to play a 'home final' in Melbourne at some stage of the finals campign, is it fair to say that we will have overwhelming public support amongst the natives?

I just get the feeling that apart from the McChins devotees who cannot think for themselves, that about 80% of Melbourne punters with no interstate affiliations would prefer the Swans to win over either of the Adelaide sides and certainly West Coast although maybe Freo will have some sympathises.

Given that we have the biggest Melbourne based following of interstate clubs combined with the above mentioned sympathises, a final aginst Port, the Crows or Wet Toast in Melbourne may just feel like a home final.

What do the melbournites think??

[Cheer Cheer]

If we play a final in melbourne in first week or 2nd - boy will there be HUGE support for the swans. I'm taking like around 15000 actual supporters and maybe 5000 who dont support us but will be barracking for us in the finals cause their team isnt there.
And its something I'm bloody proud of - The huge support in melbourne.

The support at optus oval - people reckon they havent seen support like that for an interstate club there for a long long time.
We have the biggest support in melbourne for all the interstate teams pipping brissy.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Re: For the Melbourne based fans....

Originally posted by BBB
Given that we have the biggest Melbourne based following of interstate clubs combined with the above mentioned sympathises, a final aginst Port, the Crows or Wet Toast in Melbourne may just feel like a home final.

What do the melbournites think??

Mate, I'm a Sydneysider, but have been at all the Melbourne games this season, and I totally agree with you. Yesterday was seriously like a home game! Not only were there heaps of old South loyalists, but HEAPS of familar faces from NSW as well.

I think somebody said that due to us playing on Sundays back in the 80s/90s we were a lot of peoples' second side for people watching on the box. When their team wasn't playing, they'd go for the Swans on the box. It will be interesting to see if the Melbourne media whip up the old South Melbourne side of things if we do reach the prelim and GF.

I've been muted about my criticism of the MCG decision for this reason. If we play West Coast or Freo at the G, the Swans support will be huge!!!! And the general Melbourne public will come and watch us too. I reckon we could even outdraw Adelaide or Port at the G, even though that would be far closer given the anount of feral South Australians putting their watches forward 30 minutes(sadly not their brains) and coming over.

Bring it on! That's what I say!

JF

[sharp9]

I was surprised to see that according to the latest survey, Brisbane have more Melbourne fans than us. This doesn't seem to translate into bums on seats, though, as a few of the games I have been to seem to have more Swans than home team supporters (particularly against St. Kilda and Hawthorn). If we were allowed to play the Bulldogs or Norff here we might outnumber them too.

Actually considering Melbourne's place on the ladder I reckon we will be the "home" team for that one as well.

Couldn't go on Saturday but (and no Foxtel in the Upper Yarra valley) so had to listen to the radio. The cheer squad did a brilliant job as the cheers for Sydney goals were louder than the ones for Carlton. very disconcerting for the listener trying to work out what has happened!

Then radio commentators were the second rate ones for sure. i've never heard a bloke take soooooo long to say what's going on. Absolutely terrible.

Also, CHEER, CHEER can I congratulate you on your tag line ("Swans Will Surprise Many") whcih you have had since before the season began. I, for one, had a quiet smirk at the Pippi Longstocking optimism of it. I guess I look a little silly now. Well done

[Cheer Cheer]

Originally posted by sharp9

Also, CHEER, CHEER can I congratulate you on your tag line ("Swans Will Surprise Many") whcih you have had since before the season began. I, for one, had a quiet smirk at the Pippi Longstocking optimism of it. I guess I look a little silly now. Well done

Thanks Sharp
I reckon whatever happens from here on in, my claim from the start of the season cant really be proved wrong now, 2nd on the ladder at round 16 - that has surprised many.

[Charlie]

I'm not convinced that we will have the support of people in Victoria, at least against Collingwood, North and Essendon. There's a lot of parochialism here now that wasn't around a couple of years ago. As stupid as it sounds, most supporters of Essendon, Carlton, Richmond etc would be going for Collingwood if they made the GF. Unfortunately, it's the way they think these days... they've sacrificed 100 years of rivalry for petty state loyalties.

Still, finals in Melbourne won't be as big a problem for Sydney than for the other teams - we are very popular here, far and away the biggest interstate side.

[sharp9]

Have to agree there, Charlie....all the ferals have had their feathers ruffled. They really don't like the truth being pointed out about the rich, powerful clubs attempting to rort the competition for their own benefit.

If richard Colless had been a bit classier (the finger at the camera is the only thing most Melbourne fans can ever remember him doing or saying) then we might have won a couple of arguments but he got sucked into eddie's pettiness and it was all over from there.

He made the mistake of thinking they were having a debate.

On the other hand I would say that Hawthorn and St. Kilda supporters would barrack for us

[Nico]

Only problem with a Melbourne final is, if the results of the remainder of the season fall certain ways, we could end up playing a Melbourne side at the G due to the current arrangement.

Hopefully the Mayblooms will fall away and the Bombers take a dive.

[robbieando]

If we finish 5th with 4 interstate clubs above us, we play at home in Week 1 of the finals, then from week 2 on we can't go anywhere else but the MCG, but would only play non Victorian sides at the G, which would favour us massively