52,000 and rising!

[Troy G]

Preliminary Final at Telstra Stadium, Saturday September 20 -- 52,000 tickets sold

[motorace_182]

Lets just pray for fine weather and this time some decent cheering by bandwagoners please. I mean cmon what the hell was "11 quick claps - SYDNEY"

[stellation]

I am tired of people complaining about "bandwagoners".

I understand the frustration, but it is a fact of life.

That sort of "us versus them" mentality amongst fans of the one team is tiring.

Good on them for coming along to see a game of Australian Rules.

[red_avengers]

well said stellation. I say everyone is welcome. I was a "bandwagoner" of 1996 but since become a faithful fan. Sure i support them and if they win it makes my week but i don't like to go out there to see them lose.

[Bart]

Originally posted by red_avengers
well said stellation. I say everyone is welcome. I was a "bandwagoner" of 1996 but since become a faithful fan. Sure i support them and if they win it makes my week but i don't like to go out there to see them lose.


and if 5000 of them become members (as happened but in far greater numbers in 1996) it would add over $1m to the club coffers

[Troy G]

Today's bandwagoner is tomorrow's diehard!
Bandwagoners will put the Swans back in the black!
Bandwagoners will take the Prelim from the ordinary atmosphere to the extraordinary!
Bandwagoners will boost members of RWO!

[ugg]

Originally posted by Troy G
Bandwagoners will put the Swans back in the red!


Erm...? :confused: :confused: :confused:

[desredandwhite]

Come one, come all, as far as I'm concerned. If you like it, come back again!

If we didn't make the finals I probably wouldn't have noticed the team. I got curious and went to my first game in 1997 to see what the fuss was all about. Since then, I've only missed 2 home games. I reckon that's not too bad for a bandwagonner! ;)

Hell, if you're getting bandwagonners, you must be doing SOMETHING right :D Saturday week is going to be MASSIVE

[Troy G]

Oops...got Red on the brain! I mean in the black of course! (edit done above to avoid further public embarrassment)
I'll consider it an omen!

[Go Swannies]

It's not a bandwagon - it's evolution. The more who see the Swannies play - or see an AFL game live - the more who may become members. I only became interested in AFL (and, soon after, the Swans) three years ago when the club wasn't doing too well. Became a member the following year and will stay one.

I flew to Melbourne for the Tigers game and to Brisbane for the great win. Helped with the banner and the cheersquad there and took my new learning to Stadium Oz for the Pies game. Tried to whip the crowd up in my section but only succeeded after a couple of keen girls joined me. (I knew it was going to be hard when I heard someone on the train out say "well, they kick the ball a lot in this game.")

My suggestion for how fans can best help the players is to spend at least one game with the cheersquad, see how it's done and either stay there to swell the numbers or get everyone in your regular section on their feet and supporting. I think we've all seen us visible lift the team several times this season. Right now, that could be the difference in whether we get the premiership - and that would be an afternoon of ecstasy!

[Rob-bloods]

Most sense spoken here, "todays bandwagon jumper is tomorrows die-hard"
Most members since 1982 are 'blow ins' those previous are not....we all blew in Sydney, just by degree.
It has been along hard road since the early eighties,
crowds like Sheffield Shield games;
jibes from the RL fans, 'crap game and they always lose anyway'; the Edelsten years which promised so much;
then many wooden spoons;
The 22 or so games we lost in succession in the early nineties, ending with a defeat of the demons;
a paucity of useful draft choices;
the "save the swans" meeting at Darling Harbour when with Carlton circling our carcass (prematurely), we looked dead in the water with less than 1500 turning up;
then Barassi came gave us some self respect (not even a cliche in this context);
Kelly, Plugger et al a grand final (seriously never thought I'd see one at one stage);
and now here we go again!
Let's get the unbelievers in, convert some more every time we play and see that we develop the biggest powerhouse in the comp ..
Collingwood - Schmollingwood
Go Bloods!!

[Mel_C]

Make that 52,002 :). I finally pursuaded my dad to fly up with me so we bought our tickets today.

Don't worry, I will be one of those supporters that cheers, yells and screams. Hopefully the people around me will follow.

At drinks tonight at work the theme is AFL. So we have to wear our team colours. I will get to wear my red and white with pride :).

[Ruda Wakening]

This whole bandwagon thing confuses me a touch, so i need to ask a question ...

Would most people consider someone like me a bandwagoner ?

I wouldn't like to think so, seeing i left a team who played in a grand final, to join one who was tipped to win the wooden spoon .

But does it make me one anway ?

[JudesaGun]

Who did you used to support?

[Ruda Wakening]

Collingwood

[JudesaGun]

Colingwood to Sydney, why?

That's a fair change!!

[undy]

Originally posted by JudesaGun
Colingwood to Sydney, why?

That's a fair change!!

They've joined the Evolution... having learnt how to walk and talk, you'd stick out like a sore thumb as a pies fan ;)

[chewyonyourboot]

Lots of us would have been classified as bandwagoners at one stage...The whole concept is pretty silly actually...

My family started supporting AFL and the swans after the super league fiasco...we were, as I said, League mad, but we always took a passing interest in AFL..

We started going to games in the general public area and now have been members for about 5 years...

We are talking about travelling interstate to see more games next year, which will be a change for us..

There have been a heap of Rugby league supporters at the games in Sydney this year, and I always try and help them out in terms of rules and such...Hopefully if they have a good time and meet nice people they'll be back again!

[TheHood]

Originally posted by Troy G
Today's bandwagoner is tomorrow's diehard!
Bandwagoners will put the Swans back in the black!
Bandwagoners will take the Prelim from the ordinary atmosphere to the extraordinary!
Bandwagoners will boost members of RWO!

Bandwagoners will take my seat in the Ladies
Bandwagoners will make the beer line longer
Bandwagoners will yell weird S%#t at the umpires and players


Only joking, we need to convert some and that will make it all worthwhile.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by desredandwhite
Come one, come all, as far as I'm concerned. If you like it, come back again!

If we didn't make the finals I probably wouldn't have noticed the team. I got curious and went to my first game in 1997 to see what the fuss was all about. Since then, I've only missed 2 home games. I reckon that's not too bad for a bandwagonner! ;)

Hell, if you're getting bandwagonners, you must be doing SOMETHING right :D Saturday week is going to be MASSIVE

Des, I think one thing needs to be qualified here. There is a HUGE difference between a new supporter and a bandwagoner. A new supporter starts to get behind the team, buys his scarf, learns the culture and develops a "relationship" with that team.

We all have to start somewhere. Even the great Desmond Lee derided himself as a bandwagon for quite a while. Bandwagoners don't start up supporter websites. They don't travel to Melbourne for matches. They just get the ****s when we are losing and don't come back the next week, muttering "why did I waste my time on this ****?".

I do have a huge problem with the theatre goers. I hate getting the chants going and getting somewhat bemused glares from people who have no idea what I'm doing. And when get irritated when I try to fire them up to chant. :mad: Such people should be shot-and not just once!

But it's finals. And as shown in 1996 and even in 98 at the St Kilda and Adelaide finals, the Sydney crowd goes off big time when the excitement factor is upped. That is just the way Sydney people are in most facets of life-very hot or totally disinterested.

It's time to GET INTERESTED fellas! :rolleyes:

JF

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
It's not a bandwagon - it's evolution. The more who see the Swannies play - or see an AFL game live - the more who may become members. I only became interested in AFL (and, soon after, the Swans) three years ago when the club wasn't doing too well. Became a member the following year and will stay one.

My suggestion for how fans can best help the players is to spend at least one game with the cheersquad, see how it's done and either stay there to swell the numbers or get everyone in your regular section on their feet and supporting.

Fancy a drinkie before the game at the Brewery mate? If you can find me, you've got one!

You definitely have the right attitude there. (I wish more felt the same. :rolleyes: :confused: )

JF

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by Ruda Wakening
Collingwood

Here is another ex-Collingwood supporter!

JF ;)

[Ruda Wakening]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
Here is another ex-Collingwood supporter!

JF ;)

Class always prevails :)

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
Fancy a drinkie before the game at the Brewery mate? If you can find me, you've got one!

You definitely have the right attitude there. (I wish more felt the same. :rolleyes: :confused: )

JF

Sounds good JF. I'm the newcomer that helped out with the banner in Brisbane and against the Pies. You planning on getting there early on Saturday, too?

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
Sounds good JF. I'm the newcomer that helped out with the banner in Brisbane and against the Pies. You planning on getting there early on Saturday, too?

I may be getting out there as early as 2pm so that I can take the flags and junk to Cathy's house and then out to the ground on Gemma's dad trailor.

I'll try and get out of the ground, so that I can meet you all for picnics or whatever.

If you can, see if you two can nab two tickets with us behind the sticks. I saw you come down briefly against the Pies, but you ran off before I could ask if you wanted to help us out.

It was great having you two with us up in Brisbane. People like you guys are more of who we need in the Cheer Squad.

cheers

JF