How Far We've Come

[dawson]

Four Grand Finals in 10 Years....for a long time, many Swans fans wondered if they would see the Swans win a final, let alone a Grand Final.

Just like we watched the Carltons and Essendon's consistently play in Grand Finals, now they watch us.
Carlton's last one was in 1999, Essendon's was in 2001.

Always thought how lucky those fans were and wondered what it would be like to have my team play in the big game.

1996 felt like a surreal dream and it was important that it didn't became a fluke. That's why 2003 was so important - it laid the groundwork for 2005.

Winning the flag is obviously amazing but don't dismiss how hard it is to get there.

The biggest prize is that we have a team that is going to contend year after year.

For a fan who went through the Swans' 26 game losing streak, I will never stop appreciating this.

[toothy76]

I have been thinking this myself recently.

I was 10 when we made finals in 1986 but, while those two years brought enjoyment, it didn't take long for it to disappear. The three consecutive wooden spoons, the 26 consecutive losses, going to Victoria Park and watching us lose by 15 goals, happy to get as close as 30 points behind was almost as good as a win.

The second half of the 1996 grand final was a moment my father and I spent reflecting on the marvellous year we'd had, and happy to have won our first final since 1945. Dad cried as the siren sounded at the end of the final against Hawthorn. We made the trip to Sydney. We couldn't miss such an historic event in the club's history.

To have been of an age where I could appreciate what we've achieved since 1996, winning two more premierships than I ever thought I'd see, seeing such great players as Goodes, Bolton, O'Loughlin, Kirk, O'Keefe and others go from first gamers to club legends, and to have enjoyed so many years of successful football...I count my blessings that my once struggling, pitiful club was able to turn itself into the well run powerhouse it now is.

Hopefully Saturday brings the ultimate joy once again.

[Doctor J.]

Listening to SEN last night. Mark Allen asked people to ring in with who they were going to support in the GF and why. A few rang in saying they don't care a few said Sydney but one caller rang in said Hawthorn and why. He's sick of them. They are the Carlton of the 70's and 80's. To me that makes our transformation from the poor down trodden football club to a league powerhouse. They all hate us, and that's a good thing

[Swansongster]

I have been thinking this myself recently.

I was 10 when we made finals in 1986 but, while those two years brought enjoyment, it didn't take long for it to disappear. The three consecutive wooden spoons, the 26 consecutive losses, going to Victoria Park and watching us lose by 15 goals, happy to get as close as 30 points behind was almost as good as a win.

The second half of the 1996 grand final was a moment my father and I spent reflecting on the marvellous year we'd had, and happy to have won our first final since 1945. Dad cried as the siren sounded at the end of the final against Hawthorn. We made the trip to Sydney. We couldn't miss such an historic event in the club's history.

To have been of an age where I could appreciate what we've achieved since 1996, winning two more premierships than I ever thought I'd see, seeing such great players as Goodes, Bolton, O'Loughlin, Kirk, O'Keefe and others go from first gamers to club legends, and to have enjoyed so many years of successful football...I count my blessings that my once struggling, pitiful club was able to turn itself into the well run powerhouse it now is.

Hopefully Saturday brings the ultimate joy once again.

Onya Toothy.

I love our South Melbourne heritage and share passion for the red and white with many of the old South fans in my local community. I grew up in Sydney with strong family roots to Melbourne (mostly Bloods fans). So I have both tribal and genetic links to our team. I have been fan since I can remember watching the game (about 1970) so lived the bad of days right there with you. I did waver a little during the really lean trot (which coincided with the best run in history for my Sydney local league team, the North Sydney Bears which I also loved) but also always attended at least a few games each season at the SCG.

When the NRL cynically punted the Bears, I sacked league outright and my passion switched wholly back to the Swans and, for the love of a good woman, moved to Melbourne 15 years ago to live a par 6 from Lakeside Oval.

I just love the force we have become.

[paper_rival]

Geez I feel like a super spoiled fan. Jumped aboard the bandwagon in 04 at about 9.
A tiny part of me wishes I experienced some bad days though. Just to make these good ones sweeter. No real complaints though [emoji12] I hope they keep powering on

[tasmania60]

Supported swans as a kid in the early 60 s ,all my mates stirred me for years . Never wavered all ways barracked for them, sometimes it hurt through. Was against the move to Sydney , but slowly waiver-ed and thought it was the right decision. Watched 96 and was in tears never watched the match again. Thought i would go to my grave not seeing the Swans win a grand final . Then through great people ,drafting ,and a growth of culture , are so strong in all areas. Im so proud to be a South/Swans supporter and will go to my grave so fulfilled ,to watch over the years men who have given so much of there bodies and lives to Sydney Swans . Thanks and enjoy the greatest years of our history .

[sprite]

Supported swans as a kid in the early 60 s ,all my mates stirred me for years . Never wavered all ways barracked for them, sometimes it hurt through. Was against the move to Sydney , but slowly waiver-ed and thought it was the right decision. Watched 96 and was in tears never watched the match again. Thought i would go to my grave not seeing the Swans win a grand final . Then through great people ,drafting ,and a growth of culture , are so strong in all areas. Im so proud to be a South/Swans supporter and will go to my grave so fulfilled ,to watch over the years men who have given so much of there bodies and lives to Sydney Swans . Thanks and enjoy the greatest years of our history .

+1

Started supporting South Melbourne in the early sixties while in primary school and I went to Essendon Primary ( the one at the Raleigh Street of Windy Hill).

[111431]

Supported swans as a kid in the early 60 s ,all my mates stirred me for years . Never wavered all ways barracked for them, sometimes it hurt through. Was against the move to Sydney , but slowly waiver-ed and thought it was the right decision. Watched 96 and was in tears never watched the match again. Thought i would go to my grave not seeing the Swans win a grand final . Then through great people ,drafting ,and a growth of culture , are so strong in all areas. Im so proud to be a South/Swans supporter and will go to my grave so fulfilled ,to watch over the years men who have given so much of there bodies and lives to Sydney Swans . Thanks and enjoy the greatest years of our history .

well said

[Danzar]

This entire thread is well said.

I have nothing like the history you all have. I jumped on board in 2003, became passionate by 2004, and after witnessing 2005, knew this was a lifelong commitment.

But I love this club. It embodies the two things I value most - gut busting perseverance and redemption.

[Bleed Red Blood]

As Saturday loomes larger this is a timely talk. Win or lose we have come along way since those wasteland years of the mid 90s... I mean obviously one's better than the other. we only need to look back to 2006 for how that feels (tho this isn't back to back GFs, 2 in 3 against the same team is about as close as there is)

A foundation for success has been established through sheer hard work and determination. we see it ever week, for the most part, especially in finals. finals brand of football every week of the season, real finals in september, basically every year. winning 2012 was the embodiment of that "culture". work hard, results. play for us if you want to share in that.

we're obviously a different beast come the last game in september, 2014. what was a team not long ago described routinely as blue collar and workmanlike has come to typify the dualism of defence/offence that is modern day football. we have built upon team defence, if that is there offence takes care of itself, especially now, with that Buddy guy some declared over the hill and chasing coin. That and we we're being desperate and our depth and culture would be destroyed.. lol

We of course know better.
And those in the media really should have given how much attention there's been on him since basically day one.
Buddy wants to win. Even as a Hawk, you could see, especailly in 08 when Roughy was kicking heaps too that Bud is a bit of a perfectionist. And being the genius player he is, is the one setting up the function of the forward line. How often do you see him getting in the way of other players leads? Its rare I reckon. He is switched on and team oriented. I don't know about all this "career best form" that was going around, but you only need to see him play to notice his work rate and defensive pressure is first rate. Makes everyone around him walk taller. Anyway, this isn't sposed to be about Buddy.

Barry Hall got ultra close to the Coleman, but still the Swans first since like 98 Lockett?
9 all australians in the team.
2 top 10 in the bronwlow for a long time surely? Unless someone else got close in 06, maybe Kirky did?
Rising star nominations (not the norm under Roosy)
We should be contending for the foreseeable future.

It is an amazing time for the Swans.
Going to primary school in the 90s I remember i would sometimes masquerade as a North Melbourne or Carlton supporter, they won flags. Sydney got wooden spoons.
I like to think I would still wear my swans colours to the pub as much as now if we we're last. But its good to not have to think about it.

Long may we sustain this legacy.

[ernie koala]

It was 1977 for me. My family had moved from Sydney to Melbourne. We lived in Middle Park, a short walk to Lake Oval.
I wandered down to a game as a young teenager, for curiosity more than anything.
I didn't understand much of what was happening, but I vividly remember the towering figure of Teasdale, who dominated the game....Against Carlton from memory
I was hooked.
Then a 3 or 4 years later I moved back to Sydney to go to uni, and low and behold so did the Swannies.
The 80's were an odd period for the Swannies...The early 90's disastrous at the time.
But these difficult times, from moving North, to Edelston, to laughing stock and near extinction, gave the Sydney Swans it's backbone.
Then drawing on the rich South Melbourne history, and all that came with it, was the final piece of the puzzle to help create a culture envied by all others.
As others have said, I feel really privileged to have watched the entire careers of so many great Swans play out...So many favourites it's ridiculous.
So much to look forward to....Starting Saturday.

[Pommie Swannie]

Geez I feel like a super spoiled fan. Jumped aboard the bandwagon in 04 at about 9.
A tiny part of me wishes I experienced some bad days though. Just to make these good ones sweeter. No real complaints though [emoji12] I hope they keep powering on

Fairly similar - I moved from the UK in 2004 and thought I'd give the AFL a go and signed up as a member for the 2005 season. 10 years on and I'm fortunate enough to be going to my fourth GF on Saturday! There's not been too many bad times in the 10 years, but if and when they come again, I will certainly still be there in the stands cheering the boys on.

[Swanny40519]

We came up from Melbourne in the 1980's and initially I went to watch the Swans to get my AFL fix for the weekend. But over the years I came to love this club through all the bad years and struggles against the more powerful and successful Melbourne clubs. I wished and prayed that we would be successful during the 1990's but despite 1996 we had little exposure to the last weekend in September.

Now we are in a golden era where this club is one of the most admired/hated and respected clubs. Players want to play here compared to wanting to leave as they did in the early years.

I am so grateful to have seen 3 Grand Finals and with the fourth one this weekend I could not be more proud of the club that I belong to.

Go you mighty Swans.

[mcs]

My first memories of the Swans was around 1994/95, as a 7/8 year old, watching them on telly in Country NSW. Can still remember the 96 grand final as we had a few other friends around to watch it, and the disappointment of the final result.

I think 2003 was the year that I really felt that we were starting to become a different beast all together, and that's when the Swannies really became my first love for a winter code I guess. I used to be as avid a follower of league as AFL, but the last 10 years or so, its the Swans a long way in front of the Dragons in terms of my committment (still love my dragons, but just don't have the same passion for NRL).

My first live game for me was only in 2005 as an 18 year old (Collingwood at ANZ - when we held on to beat them by a point) and am slowly but surely working my way up towards 100 live games - Saturday will be Game No 72 (I keep a book where I write my thoughts about every game I go to live in it so I have a track of matches in there). Hoping game 100 will be somewhere around the 2016 Grand Final

I don't get to as many games live as I'd like to - but average around 50% of regular season games most years, so that's not a bad effort, and out of that its about 50/50 between Home and Away games. Now only have the two tassie grounds as regular AFL haunts at which I haven't seen the Swans play (missed the NZ trip last year as well sadly!).

So I'm one of the lucky ones that can remember almost exclusively the good times - but I love hearing the stories from those that have been fans for much longer,and have significant admiration for those that have stuck with the swans through thick and thin, especially those during the dark days where the end was all but nigh. What this club has become now is a tribute to those that have shown the faith, dreamt of better days, and never given up the fight. Its wonderful we haven't forgotten our heritage, and maintain such a close link to our past and our time in South Melbourne.

These glory days we are in now are for you guys that helped keep the club going through the dark days. I have ultimate respect and am eternally grateful that the fight was never given up, that you never said 'stuff it' and fought to keep our club alive. We have an absolutely wonderful club to support these days as a result of the committment of so few, and I'm proud to be a Swan, to be a Blood, and to keep the traditions of our club alive.

Now lets go and bring home another cup on Saturday! Carn the Swannies!

[Matt80]

My late Grandfather got me into the AFL. He tells me that he played a couple of years in the Melbourne Demons Reserves Team. He even said that he played one senior game for the Demons. I searched the AFL almanac in 2002 to search for his name and sadly could not locate it. He had a Jewish surname and was Jewish in his younger years. For some reason he let go of his Jewish faith and our family did not continue the faith.

I used to go to the SCG with him once a year to watch the Demons play the Swans. I can still remember the horror on his face when Richard Osbourne kicked 10 goals to break that 24 game Swans Losing Streak.

I was still more of a Demons supporter in the early 2000s, but was turning. I was glad they did not play the Swans in a final in that time. My last memories as a Demons supporter was Cameron Bruce scoring that winning snap at the SCG early in 2005. I remember Brad Miller shutting down Barry Hall in the same game.

I started to become pure Swans after that point as the Demons became terrible. The passion for the Swans was helped along through a late night conversation in a Kings Cross Night Club with Adam Goodes in 2005. He was genuine, patient and happy to talk to an intoxicated fan. He was a terrific bloke.

From 2006 onwards it's been all Swans for me. I hope the Demons recover, but they are now very much my second team.