Swans Vs Bloods

[Charlie]

Originally posted by Frog
Unfortunately, historians tend to disagree with you ...

Err, no they don't. I believe I said 'informally'.

Source
If we were to revert back (!!) to the "The Bloods" moniker ... What will they say in 50 years ... Charlie was furious ???

I plan on being the historian in question, so there's a chance of that I guess.

[ROK Lobster]

There was a question or 2 regarding 'the bloods' in the members' questionnaire IIRC. Obvioulsy a marketing exercise. I would not be surprised if the players had been told to use the word now and again on camera during last season by the powers that be within the club.

[Eala ?ireann]

Swans is a bit soft in all fairness...lucky our footy isn't!

[CureTheSane]

The extent of the bloods thing at grand final time was due to having 2 non Victorian based teams in the GF.
They tried to round up support for Sydney using old Sth Melb junk.

I think it is a bit silly and segregative to continue to use the bloods now.
They are the Swans.

[Slick Swans]

More likely, if they changed the name to bloods now, in 50 yrs time somebody would start bringing back "The Swans Spirit of 2005" then we would change back, and repeat over and over again, untill the end of time........

[robbieando]

Originally posted by Frog
Unfortunately, historians tend to disagree with you ...

The Bloods officially became the Swans in 1953 - much to the ire of old timers, who point out that the club's achievements under the revised moniker have been negligible.

Source

Unfortunately, the AFL's Official historian Col Hutchinson tends to disagree with you and fullpointsfooty.net.

"Originally, the team was referred to as the 'Southerners' or 'Bloods' or 'Blood Stained Angels'. In 1933, because of the influx of Western Australian recruits, the club was dubbed the Swans. The vicinity of Albert Park Lake to the club's home ground of that era may also have contributed to the adoption of the Swan as the club emblem." - page 159, 100 Years of Australian Football (How the teams got their names) - Written by Col Hutchinson, Official AFL Historian

[Cher]

from the booklet THE RED AND THE WHITE

http://sydneyswans.com.au/default.asp?pg=history

"South Melbourne ? now known as the Swans due to an unprecedented influx of West Australian players ? again made the finals between 1932 and 1936, playing in four successive Grand Finals from 1933 to 1936, but capturing only one flag ? the Premiership of 1933?defeating Richmond in the season decider."

This insinuates that the name Swans was around before 1932.

[katie-scarlett]

Ironic innit the whole Swans image originating from the west coast.

[Xie Shan]

Originally posted by katie-scarlett
Ironic innit the whole Swans image originating from the west coast.

Yes. This may be stretching it, but had West Coast won, it might have been WA's revenge for us poaching all their best players 72 years ago.

But we still managed to screw over those Sandgropers again. Their sole NSW-born player ended up costing them the game!

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by rastus

For what it is worth we always called our team 'the bloods' or just 'South' as did everyone else in the members area and Bloods supporters elsewhere. I can't recall the name 'the Swans being commonly used by the supporters before the move to Sydney

You must have a short memory, swans was the team name and occasionally the term bloods was used where I was sitting. But then I didn't sit with the elite in the members stand.

[rastus]

Originally posted by goswannie14
You must have a short memory, swans was the team name and occasionally the term bloods was used where I was sitting. But then I didn't sit with the elite in the members stand.

I assure you I have a long memory. I remember attending my first game in 1950 and missed only three games in the following 20 years. With the exception of 2 years in 1970 and 971 when I was overseas I have hardly missed a game in Melbourne. I was part of the upheaval when the Sydney move was being pushed and in fact voted for the team to move to Sydney.

I have sat in the members stand occasionally but I preferred to stand on the members wing with the occasional move behind the goals at the stand end.

It is true we were called the Swans by some but we knew them as South. Supporters screamed 'Carn the Bloods!' OR 'Carn South', never 'Carn the Swans!'

You say "where you were sitting". Only the ladies sat on the one row of seats surrounding the ground. The men stood. As you say you didn't sit in the members stand I guess you are a woman. Is that correct? I may know you. Anyway I will back my memory of the South/Bloods/Swans against yours any day.

[goswannie14]

I stood/sat behind the goals. No I am not a woman! When I first started going I would stand in front of the cream building between the two stands. When I joined the cheersquad we sat in three fenced off rows behind the goals. Occassionally someone would cheer for the bloods, but it was usually the swans or South. It was always best though when the stand got going with the South Melbourne chant.

[Zlatorog]

I think all this argument about Swans vs Bloods is useless. For me they will be Swans, because of they're now a Sydney AFL team and would accept using Bloods only when refering to their Sth Melbourne heritage. Changing Swans to Bloods? What's the point? Swans, sounds great to me.

[stevej]

Originally posted by goswannie14
I stood/sat behind the goals. No I am not a woman! When I first started going I would stand in front of the cream building between the two stands. When I joined the cheersquad we sat in three fenced off rows behind the goals. Occassionally someone would cheer for the bloods, but it was usually the swans or South. It was always best though when the stand got going with the South Melbourne chant.

Hey GS, That's where i used to stand, Most times on Dad's shoulders just behind the cheer squad. I think, for memory, we ventured once or twice into the members seating area.... AHH the memories!

[Thunder Shaker]

Originally posted by j s
It's obvious - a Vampire!

Good, it would give WEG something to draw. A WEG poster for the Bloods depicting blood might be too gruesome for the kiddies.