I can attest to the parochial locals in SA.
When I first moved to SA, I bought either the Age of Herald Sun to read about my boys (on a students wage with imported prices … I was desperate). I still desperately want to be home in Victoria … 27 years later!
I’ll never forget my first Swans game over here - caught a taxi out to Footy Park to a watch pre-season night game among a cauldron full of parochial, rabid, feral Crows supporters yelling vitriol (at Plugger no less!). Was kind of glad at the time that I hadn’t brought my Swans gear yet. Feared for my safety that night!
Been to all bar one game ever since (pre-season, H&A, finals) and my grudge with goswannette has lasted longer than her friend’s marriage that we attended in 2012 causing me to miss the Swans 2nd qualifying final win against the Crows! Luckily I got to attend the 2012 grand final. The following season the Swans were due to play Port in a pre-season regional challenge match and when I called goswannette to see if she wanted to attend (it was after work on a weekend) so told me we actually had (another) wedding. I politely suggested that it was untenable that I keep missing Swans games for weddings of people I didn’t know. goswannette conceded: I attend the game, and then the reception. She’s a keeper!
And many South Aussies seem to think that if you move to SA that you are expected to follow one of the SA teams by default. When they query why I support the Swans, I tell them that I didn’t abandon them when they moved to Sydney, and they haven’t abandoned me when I moved to Adelaide.
As for buying papers, I was saved by the internet! And there are plenty of SA Swans supporters to attend games with these days.
Bookmarks