Giants Swans Derby Tickets

[Faunac8]

There's a cafe-restaurant here in Chiang Rai run by Christian missionaries called 'Destiny' that has a grey and orange colour scheme.

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I can get you one of their T-shirts and express ship it to you before the game. They specialize in conversions, so once you put it on, you're on your way.

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Off subject I know but I got a pleasant surprise to see this picture appear in this forum. Destiny Rescue is one of the clients that I look after through my work.
Their head office is located right next door to me. They rescue girls from the brothels and sex trade in Thailand and train them in new skills such as jewellery making, clothes manufacturing and barista training etc.
I hadn't picked up on the GWS colour link until this and now I will never unsee it. ????????

[Ludwig]

Off subject I know but I got a pleasant surprise to see this picture appear in this forum. Destiny Rescue is one of the clients that I look after through my work.
Their head office is located right next door to me. They rescue girls from the brothels and sex trade in Thailand and train them in new skills such as jewellery making, clothes manufacturing and barista training etc.
I hadn't picked up on the GWS colour link until this and now I will never unsee it. ????????????

Thanks for the info. I didn't realise that they were part of a larger Australian organisation involved in the areas you mentioned. The restaurant is quite popular and has good food, coffee and friendly service. There's a big Christian missionary community in Chiang Rai, many of whom frequent the restaurant. The many Hill Tribe people that live in the region are prime targets for conversion and there are probably as many churches around Chiang Rai as there are Wats. You can always tell who the missionaries are because they're clean cut, well dressed and often have blond children. The rest of us foreigners look like dregs.

[Mug Punter]

Mug Punter had absolutely nailed it there.

And I wonder by how much we'll pump up their average attendance this year? It'll be an overwhelmingly Swans crowd out there on Sunday yet the AFL will point to that as a sign of success for GWS.

Cheers jono

Saw it mentioned in the paper that enterprising Swans fans signed up as three game members at GWS so they can get the cheaper SCG ticket for the SCG game plus the derby (and a couple of cherry picked other games).

I'd place their actual supporter base around 2,000, it's appallingly low and it will be truly embarrassing when they play finals in Melbourne, because I am pretty damn sure that those "fans" at away games that the TV religiously pan to in order to make out they are a real club are on the AFL payroll.

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A packed GWS home game on Sunday says more about the success of Sydney than it says about GWS. To me it says that The Swans now have a large volume group of "hard core" supporters who will turn up no matter where to see their team.

Indeed

[Mug Punter]

It was such a long time ago now that I don't really remember, but I wonder were the people of Sydney clamouring madly for a VFL team to be moved up here back in 1982, or did the VFL just decide Sydney should want a team?

That's a fair question.

We weren't really I don't think but then again they were different times, The Canberra Raiders and Illawarra Steelers had only just joined the NSWRL competition and national comps were not on anyone's agenda except Alan Aylett.

But remember we didn't steal the Swans from South Melbourne, they were totally bankrupt and it really was move north or die. And we honoured our side of the deal in respecting the heritage of the Melbourne history. So it really was a marriage of necessity but there was definitely an appetite for VFL Footy in Sydney, they had been playing a couple of games a season here for many years and the games were generally well supported and don't forget that the local competition was very very strong compared to what is running around these days. Just about all the clubs had licensed clubs with ex VFL players littered through all the teams. John Northy coached Wests, the Ruskuklic brothers were at Easts, John Pitura was at North Shore and the great Sam Kekovich was at Newtown

So I'd argue that the inference we are being hypocrites is drawing an exceptionally long bow and is not a fair comparison

[barry]

Some are trying to generate a faux rivalry. It ain't happening . �t will take some serious and prolonged bastardry to get a rivalry . Eg non stop poaching of key players when one of us is a cellar dweller.

Right now GWS is most swans supporters 2nd team.

[0918330512]

Not that I'm complaining but it seems to me that there are some parallels between the Swans arriving here in 1982, and the Giants being set up here thirty years later. As I remember there were a lot of dire predictions about the fate of the Swans in the early 90s, and the AFL sent in game legend / spruiker Ron Barassi to save the day.

the Swans dire predictions were because the Club was not financially viable. GW$ has been handed money & players hand over fist in an attempt to ensue they are viable. The Swans barely had facilities to train in/on. Ron was signed to try and mould an in-cohesive group into a competitive teams. Sheedy was sent up to be the face of & baby sit a group of first round draft picks until a non-hasbeen coach in waiting stepped up to take over. Most divergent parallel I've ever seen

How different is that really from Sheedy's stint at GWS? I agree it's a slightly weird environment at GWS games at Spotless (and I go to lots of them because I have too much spare time) compared to games at the SCG or in Melbourne, but many Melbourne folks think the SCG footy environment is weird.

Not so much weird as fabricated. Make up a team. Give it heaps of money & rediculously generous draft & development concessions. You either create a monster that dominates the competition for decades ... or an embarrassment (think back to the original Brisbane Bears.

No comparison between the Swans & GW$. We did it the hard way. GW$ have been sucking on their silver spoon since inception.

[Faunac8]

Very un Swans like to continually complain about what we didn't get and how unfair it is that GWS get this and get that. Let's focus instead on what we have got, a team that by most measures is now one of the powerhouses of the AFL. Yes it was tough and yes the team struggled and went without success for so long but everything that has come about as a result has been earned
( contrary to what Heavy McWhiner and his cronies and acolytes might think)
The fact is there is another team in Sydney and instead of taking shots at what they are and aren't doing why don't we just enjoy what we have.
I assume many posters were never at the SCG ,Western Oval or Waverley during the early 90's watching yet another flogging because if you were you would take more pleasure out of where we are currently positioned as a club both on and off the field.
PS Swans to win by 32 with Stevie J goalless and Isaac returning to goal kicking form with four

[0918330512]

Very un Swans like to continually complain about what we didn't get and how unfair it is that GWS get this and get that.

If that was directed at me, you miss my poorly made point. Every team prior to GW$ & the Suns did it the hard way. These two new expansion teams were made for success (which I'm glad to see that haven't had yet, & I, for one, hope they never have). As a Swans supporter, I don't wish success for any other team. Just indifference. Except Collingwood. I hope for failure there!
& for the record, I was at many of the early 90s Melbourne games. It was tough & that's exactly why I resent the AFLs generosity to the new teams.

[barry]

The AFL learnt its lessons from the Brisbane bears and Sydney swans move/setup in Northern cities.
Basically, you cant sell @@@@.

Both Sydney and Brisbane needed great assistance to be come viable. What they are doing with GWS and Suns it to try and skip the early floundering years, by giving assistance on day 1.

Common sense.

Hopefully the AFL will learn another lesson from the lions that screwing a team for success only hurts themeselves long term

[dimelb]

Common sense.
Hopefully the AFL will learn another lesson from the Lions that screwing a team for success only hurts themselves long term

Absolutely right. And who was behind that move?

[crackedactor]

yes the Swans and Brisbane got very little help from the AFL in the early years. I remember after Dr edelsten's money went in the late 1980's what a struggle it was for us. I remember we had both Longmire and Carey in our zone and we were so desperate for money, we signed over Wayne Carey for a $10,000 transfer fee. I also remember the time when Brett Scott was coach and North Melbourne beat us by 125 points as the SCG. So yes I am now enjoying a bit of success now and I guess the AFL learned they lessons and GWS need a lot of help to get started.

[AnnieH]

Good point, Annie's not in that "hard core" group :-) Don't worry Annie, itsa sellout so in effect you freed up your ticket for another Swans fan.

I spent my $72 on a swans guernsey.
Money MUCH better spent.

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Some are trying to generate a faux rivalry. It ain't happening . �t will take some serious and prolonged bastardry to get a rivalry . Eg non stop poaching of key players when one of us is a cellar dweller.

Right now GWS is most swans supporters 2nd team.

Geez Barry.
Are your arms sore from drawing that long bow.
Are you for real?
Have you got a link to the statement that GWS is most swans supporter's second team?