VFA/VFL reminiscences (split from NEAFL thread)

[snajik]

It was the first AFL game I ever took Mrs R'n'R to.
Sydney born and bred, she was curious about the devotion displayed by my father and I to our fortnightly pilgrimage to the footy. She joined us with the air of an anthropologist investigating the behaviour of some primitive (but amiably deranged) tribe - she even brought a book in case she got bored.
We smuggled her into the members area, our "neighbours" didn't make a fuss, rather they were welcoming to the visitor. Even helping me explain the rules as the game started.
To this day, it's the most dramatic conversion I've ever heard of (forget Paul on the road to Damascus) - By halfway through the final quarter she was barracking like a maniac, and became a member the next season.

She wasn't the only person who was inspired by the Swans performance either, I distinctly remember the Telegraph had a double page full colour spread, detailing each of the 10 last quarter goals, in addition to the match report - A big turn around to the Swans having to buy a quarter page in the sports pages between the greyhound racing an the soccer.

PS - There's a lot about the current crop of young cygnets that lead me to hope that 2021 may emulate the '03 Swans team.

Coincidentally this was also the first game I took my wife to. We sat in the Noble Stand. I recorded the game and watched it again later at home to find that during the last quarter the camera had been zooming in on our group reacting to some of the Swans' goals.

As mentioned I don't think we were ever 10 goals down, but it was one massive quarter.

Do you remember what the book was R 'n' R?

[snajik]

There is a DVD of our 2003 season highlights with the game you mention featured. The DVD looks like this:

Sydney Swans Season Highlights (AFL) Movies, DVD | Sanity

It may be hard to get now. I have this DVD and, if you're able to copy it, I'm happy to send it to you. Would need it back, though!

There's some serious talent captured on the cover.

[giant]

Great thread. Don't have the old Souths war stories in my repertoire sadly, but the one moment where I got a sense of what it meant to ye olde time members was looking through the fence at the dying moments of the 2005 premiership celebrations at Punt Road - there was one old bloke next to me also peering through the wire fence and when the festivities were done, we both looked at each other with a big grin - he said "I never thought I'd see the day". We then hugged and went our separate (pretty drunk) ways.

[Mark26]

There is a DVD of our 2003 season highlights with the game you mention featured. The DVD looks like this:

Sydney Swans Season Highlights (AFL) Movies, DVD | Sanity

It may be hard to get now. I have this DVD and, if you're able to copy it, I'm happy to send it to you. Would need it back, though!

Thanks for the offer Sandridge, but I received my fix off Youtube this morning. This link (while not in HD) shows all the goals and runs for about 21 minutes. There was a lot of talent running around at the time and I love seeing how much meant to Roosy too. David Neitz was having some kind of game early on.

AFL 2003 Round 5 Sydney Vs Melbourne - YouTube

This game instilled in me a belief that the Swans could always win a match, regardless of the score at 3/4 time. It was part of the fabric of the "never say die" culture that I'd hope our younger crop of players adopt.

[Sandridge]

Thanks for the offer Sandridge, but I received my fix off Youtube this morning. This link (while not in HD) shows all the goals and runs for about 21 minutes. There was a lot of talent running around at the time and I love seeing how much meant to Roosy too. David Neitz was having some kind of game early on.

AFL 2003 Round 5 Sydney Vs Melbourne - YouTube

This game instilled in me a belief that the Swans could always win a match, regardless of the score at 3/4 time. It was part of the fabric of the "never say die" culture that I'd hope our younger crop of players adopt.

That Youtube clip is very comprehensive and fantastic to watch again!

Interesting to see some people in the crowd that night who can also be spotted on the DVD of the 2005 Grand Final.

[neilfws]

Coincidentally this was also the first game I took my wife to. We sat in the Noble Stand. I recorded the game and watched it again later at home to find that during the last quarter the camera had been zooming in on our group reacting to some of the Swans' goals.
As mentioned I don't think we were ever 10 goals down, but it was one massive quarter.

I'm enjoying the recollections of this game. It was the first game I ever went to - I decided if every game was like that, I'd go to plenty more! They haven't been of course, but I have been to plenty more.

Some stats: that game ranks seventh for Swans come-from-behind wins at home, based on the margin at end of Q3.

The biggest home turnaround was round 1 2015 vs Essendon, when the Swans came from 34 points down at Q3 to win by 2 goals. Swans kicked 7.4 in the last quarter, Bombers failed to score!

The biggest away turnaround was round 3 2005 vs Brisbane at the Gabba. 32 points down at Q3, won by 1 goal. Kicked 7.3 in the last quarter to the Lions 1.1.

At the other end of the scale: we were involved in the biggest ever comeback by an away team, giving up a 40 point Q3 lead to the Kangaroos in round 19 2004 for a loss by 1 goal. Many will recall the team were distracted by a tragic event near the benches that night.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Do you remember what the book was R 'n' R?

I don't but she thinks it was an uncorrected proof - she didn't want to risk anything she might lose

[snajik]

I don't but she thinks it was an uncorrected proof - she didn't want to risk anything she might lose

Ah. So an early draft? Happy to hear that she was won over to the joys of red and white fandom so immediately, so emphatically. Can't say it panned out that way for me. While she is a member and attends a few games its more of an occasional entertainment. My daughters meanwhile are welded on fans, whereas my sons are pretty much indifferent. I tried my best to indoctrinate them while they were young but it just didn't seem to happen. I don't understand but I do accept.

[snajik]

I'm enjoying the recollections of this game. It was the first game I ever went to - I decided if every game was like that, I'd go to plenty more! They haven't been of course, but I have been to plenty more.

Some stats: that game ranks seventh for Swans come-from-behind wins at home, based on the margin at end of Q3.

The biggest home turnaround was round 1 2015 vs Essendon, when the Swans came from 34 points down at Q3 to win by 2 goals. Swans kicked 7.4 in the last quarter, Bombers failed to score!

The biggest away turnaround was round 3 2005 vs Brisbane at the Gabba. 32 points down at Q3, won by 1 goal. Kicked 7.3 in the last quarter to the Lions 1.1.

At the other end of the scale: we were involved in the biggest ever comeback by an away team, giving up a 40 point Q3 lead to the Kangaroos in round 19 2004 for a loss by 1 goal. Many will recall the team were distracted by a tragic event near the benches that night.

That was our trainer Wally ? Was there that day too. It wasn't immediately apparent what was wrong. Very sad.

Re the Sydney - Melbourne 2003 game and the accompanying footage, if you stop the clip at 18:12 (an overture incidentally) following Willo's mark and goal, I appear in the bottom right hand corner of the frame. By 18:13 the young excitable woman sitting in front of me has thrust her Charlotte Hornet coloured arms toward the sky in glee partially obscuring my face. (Some would applaud this development). Being an 'edited highlights' clip most of the crowd shots and less dramatic passages of the game have been edited out of course. In the Director's Cut I pop up everywhere. I seemed so much younger then.