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Only one relationship counts for long-distance fans
By Jacqueline Maley
September 6, 2003
This year Peter Hatley has clocked up 13,000 kilometres on his new car and spent about $1000 driving interstate to attend the Sydney Swans' away games.
At dawn yesterday he fired up his Holden and began the 1415-kilometre drive to watch the tomorrow's final against Port Adelaide.
Mr Hatley is one of an increasingly organised Swans fan base who follow the team. The tightly knit core of supporters have their own club, website and travel service, which this week has taken 200 bookings for Sydney and Melbourne-based Swans fans to travel to South Australia.
Mr Hatley, a rates manager at Ashfield Council, where former Swan Warwick Capper worked, has seen 15 of the past 22 games, three of them interstate. "I haven't missed a home game for eight years and that was for a wedding - not mine," he said. "I've got to watch the game, I've got to know whether they've won or lost.
"I expect the players to put everything in when they're playing, well, it works both ways for me."
Mr Hatley has tried other codes, but the spark isn't there.
"I went to Parramatta Stadium once and they had recorded cheering. If you've got to get some guy on a PA to get you going , then you may as well go to America," he said.
Julian Farrell, 29, is the chant leader of the Swans' cheer squad.
The reservations agent has been to every one of the Swans' games this season, except the away trip to Fremantle. He estimates he has spent about $6000 on his habit this year.
"It's an emotional thing. I'm addicted to the adrenalin rush every week," he said. "I'm extremely passionate about it. Other people call it obsessiveness . . . I call it self-identification."
Mr Farrell said his relationships have suffered because his partners have not understood why he had to attend every game. "I find [relationships] very hard. I have to share myself. At this time of year it's so all-encompassing, it's commitment of the heart."
Only one relationship counts for long-distance fans
By Jacqueline Maley
September 6, 2003
This year Peter Hatley has clocked up 13,000 kilometres on his new car and spent about $1000 driving interstate to attend the Sydney Swans' away games.
At dawn yesterday he fired up his Holden and began the 1415-kilometre drive to watch the tomorrow's final against Port Adelaide.
Mr Hatley is one of an increasingly organised Swans fan base who follow the team. The tightly knit core of supporters have their own club, website and travel service, which this week has taken 200 bookings for Sydney and Melbourne-based Swans fans to travel to South Australia.
Mr Hatley, a rates manager at Ashfield Council, where former Swan Warwick Capper worked, has seen 15 of the past 22 games, three of them interstate. "I haven't missed a home game for eight years and that was for a wedding - not mine," he said. "I've got to watch the game, I've got to know whether they've won or lost.
"I expect the players to put everything in when they're playing, well, it works both ways for me."
Mr Hatley has tried other codes, but the spark isn't there.
"I went to Parramatta Stadium once and they had recorded cheering. If you've got to get some guy on a PA to get you going , then you may as well go to America," he said.
Julian Farrell, 29, is the chant leader of the Swans' cheer squad.
The reservations agent has been to every one of the Swans' games this season, except the away trip to Fremantle. He estimates he has spent about $6000 on his habit this year.
"It's an emotional thing. I'm addicted to the adrenalin rush every week," he said. "I'm extremely passionate about it. Other people call it obsessiveness . . . I call it self-identification."
Mr Farrell said his relationships have suffered because his partners have not understood why he had to attend every game. "I find [relationships] very hard. I have to share myself. At this time of year it's so all-encompassing, it's commitment of the heart."
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