swans parade: 30,000 Swans fans see red... now that's impressive

[jipper]

30,000 Swans fans see red
By Jano Gibson
September 30, 2005 - 12:11PM


Another red-letter day for Barry Hall. Photo: Joe Armao

Another red-letter day for Barry Hall. Photo: Joe Armao

Thousands of Swans fans poured into Sydney's CBD to cheer on the Swans in their tickertape victory parade today.

Police estimated their were 20,000 around Sydney Town HAll with a further 10,000 lining the parade route along George Street.

In brilliant sunshine, a marching band led the players up George Street amid a shower of red and white paper to Sydney Town Hall, where the team members were presented with the keys to the city.

The parade kicked off at noon in front crowd of fans, up to 10-deep in places, cheering their heads off.

Swans forward Ryan O'Keefe told smh.com.au: "If it's as good as the grand final parade in Melbourne it will be amazing."

Nick Davis, who kicked the Swans' winning goal against Geelong in the elimination final, said the hangover was "still going".

John and Jacqueline Graham came from Toongabbie to celebrate their team's great nailbiting win.

The couple, both in their 60s, said they loved the entire team but were especially looking forward to seeing centre halfback Lewis Roberts-Thompson.

"LRT is one tough dude," said Jacqueline.

Amon Buchanan, the man who kicked the Swans winning goal in the grand final, said the last week had been a bit of a blur.

"You've still got to pinch yourself."

As he said that Adam Goodes pinched him.

They are all wearing sunglasses and the team's looking for a sunglass sponsor to hide their red hangover eyes.

Paul Roos and Barry Hall held up the premiership from the back of a ute as they inched through the parade.

Irish player Tadgh Kennelly said it had been the biggest week of his life and he will doing an Irish jig all the way to Ireland.

 

[Bombers_Forever]

And there are 5 million people in the city (and a lot of them working in the city).

 

[jipper]

And there are 5 million people in the city (and a lot of them working in the city).

yeah you're right captain negative... it's a poor effort to near-match the crowds of melbourne's traditional grand final parade.

we should just let the swans cavalcade go all the way down george street onto the hume and back to clarendon street.

seriously, no matter which we you look at it... it's bloody fantastic.

go you swans!

 

[whythelongface]

And there are 5 million people in the city (and a lot of them working in the city).

your point being.......

(5 million since when?)

 

[Smackdown]

too bad they didn't show the parade live in that western area of Australia

 

[copa]

That means nearly everyone who was going to be in that part of Sydney anyway stopped to look..... if you've ever been to Sydney, you'll know that.

 

[grayham]

That means nearly everyone who was going to be in that part of Sydney anyway stopped to look..... if you've ever been to Sydney, you'll know that.

If you're implying you'd get 30,000 workers standing on the street any old lunchtime, I guess you're also implying that 20,000 of those just happen to wear their swans gear to work on firdays.

 

[pjcrows]

And there are 5 million people in the city (and a lot of them working in the city).

the swans are embracing aussie rules - or what the melbourne people call 'jumping on the bandwagon'. get over it mate, its fantastic to see.

 

[Vulcan]

And there are 5 million people in the city (and a lot of them working in the city).

Now, now that's entirely inaccurate.

Roughly 4.3 mil are in the entire Sydney basin,most of them a long way away from the city centre and don't work there anyway.

"And a lot of them work in the city?"
Try about 5% of that population at best.

It was a great turnout and terrific presentation,very well done.Great job by everyone.

 

[LebaneseForces]

the swans are embracing aussie rules - or what the melbourne people call 'jumping on the bandwagon'. get over it mate, its fantastic to see.

Well done Swans... They deserve it!!!!!!!
Let's hope the Tiger's win the NRL to make it a great year for NSW Football.
Go Da Tigers!

 

[Vulcan]

That means nearly everyone who was going to be in that part of Sydney anyway stopped to look..... if you've ever been to Sydney, you'll know that.

The same applies to any city in the world mate.Sydney is no different,nor is Brisbane,Melbourne or London with the the recent cricket parade.
A furphy.
Visit a few other places and you'll see for yourself.

 

[Juddyzthebest]

30,000? Thats a poor effort. Come on Sydneysiders

 

[center half bench]

there was only 50,000 at the melbourne parade

 

[morphous]

And there are 5 million people in the city (and a lot of them working in the city).

And the state are also on school holidays.

 

[Kingpin]

Very good turnout for a RL dominated city.

 

[bloodsports]

Now that is impressive ! This is a Rugby city remember!!!

Just look at all that Red and White!

http://smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/09/30/swan03_gallery__470x325.jpg

 

[b-t-gizzle]

Now that is impressive ! This is a Rugby city remember!!!

Look at all that Red and White!

http://smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/09/30/ swan03_gallery__470x325.jpg

not only is it a rugby city, but a rugby city 2 days away from it's own grand final....this is dagger in the chest of RL heartland...

 

[Bombers_Forever]

Yes- bad timing indeed.

2 days out from the NRL Grand Final- the parade may even be the story in the news ahead of the league match. Good work from the AFL! The NRL would not be happy

 

[Tuco]

30,000? Thats a poor effort. Come on Sydneysiders

Bit harsh. I was in the crowd and a great proportion of them were die hard fans. While everyone craps on about how large the crowd SHOULD be they forget that the number of our "money-where-their-mouths-are" fans (ie the ones that turn up week in week out, and those that buy memberships) are on a par with the moderately successful Victorian clubs already.

We're not Collingwood or Essendon yet. But maybe we're getting closer to being a club of that ilk in an off year. Watch this space because we'll be level with those teams in a good year one day too!

But the AFL imperialists down south have to remember that even THEN we'll still be the third football code up here. But speaking as a Swans fan, tell someone who give a rats! We can be the third most popular code and still have a fan base as big as Adelaide's quite comfortably. And that's where we're really headed people. Forget your "AFL as the number one code in NSW", or "League is dying" pipedreams.

Everyone seems to judge the Swans as being the city of Sydney itself, not as a club operating in Sydney. It's farcical. Who give a toss if there's 4.2 million Sydneysiders? Since when is every Sydneysider automatically counted in a Sydney Swans footy census? It's like bagging the Dogs for having such a poor fan base out of 4 million Melbournites. It just is a completely false use of meaningless statistics.

You should think in terms of all the League teams as if they were actually AFL teams. Then does 30 000 odd members for the Swans seem so bad? Of course not.

There will NEVER be 100% fan support here. But what we DO already have is a club able to hold its head up when compared to any of the local clubs in Melbourne.

Take note of the number of children in Swans colours out there today. This is only generation 1 and a bit of the great "experiment". AFL a dud in Sydney? Hold that thought for another 10-15 years and then get ready to eat your hat.

 

[No. 35]

No you're not ! Maybe you can start eating your hat now, kids will hold any flag etc. given to them. It doesn't mean they'll buy their own in 15 years time.

 

[Tuco]

No you're not ! Maybe you can start eating your hat now, kids will hold any flag etc. given to them. It doesn't mean they'll buy their own in 15 years time.

talk it up....there are packs of kids in Swans jerseys every week...can't remember ever seeing anyone handing out $80 worth of gear to anyone in this town

 

[Fred Nerk]

not only is it a rugby city, but a rugby city 2 days away from it's own grand final....this is dagger in the chest of RL heartland...

Are you on drugs?

30,000 is a dageer in the chest of Rugby League lololol

500,000 turn up to the mardi gras.

30,000 is very small.

Better than the 300 people that turned up for the Swans open training session though.

It's called a bandwagon.

 

[Vulcan]

"500,000 turn up to the mardi gras."

Yes, not a good look.And with that number it has to be a major worry.

Jesus what's that got to do with things.I know but can't put it up here.

 

[Fred Nerk]

"500,000 turn up to the mardi gras."

Yes, not a good look.And with that number it has to be a major worry.

Only if you're homophobic. I'm assuming you fit into that category based on that statement.

Jesus what's that got to do with things.I know but can't put it up here.

Why not?

let me guess.

"everyone in Sydney is gay" ?

 

[FB&W]

There was much more than 30000 there I know i was there. It was excellent but too many stickybeaks on lunch who know nothing and should have stayed in their office.

Nobody wanted to kick on