The Sydney Swans were founded back in 1874 as the South Melbourne Football Club, before a relocation to Sydney in 1982 gave us the team we know today. Despite some early difficulties, the Swans have established themselves as a powerhouse of the AFL, having remarkably only missed the finals once since 2003.
The old South Melbourne were a successful team in their own right, and were one of the inaugurating members of the VFL in 1897. However, a long stretch of poor results after WW2 led to financial difficulties, presenting a move to Sydney in 1982 as the only viable option for the club’s continued survival. Despite strong opposition from a group of loyal South Melbourne fans, the move went ahead.
After receiving significant monetary input from Geoffrey Edelston, and with the emergence of the flowing blonde mullet and skin-tight shorts of full-forward Warwick Capper, the Swans earned a reputation as a glamour club in their new city. However, this didn’t stop the Swans soon falling into another period of poor results and financial hardship, partly due to the Sydney public failing to take to the AFL.
With the recruit of Tony Lockett from St Kilda in 1995, this was all about to change. Quickly becoming a cult hero, drawing crowds away from the flailing Rugby League scene in the mid-to-late 90s, Lockett went on to become the highest ever goal scorer in the history of VFL/AFL (1,360 goals).
In the past two decades, the Swans have become a consistent finals participant, taking out the flag in both 2005 and 2012. The Bloods have also developed a team culture of unity and fierceness on the park that is widely admired, and key to their perennial success. And with Lance Franklin in Sydney for the rest of his career, he continues Sydney’s tradition of having a star spearheading their attack.