Actually the Swans have been set upon for longer than that. Swans fans know the circumstances in which both this flags in 2005 and 2012 were achieved. Both teams were written off as no chance, as a team of no hopers, playing “ugly footy.”

Remember when Andrew Demetriou said “the Swans won’t win the flag” with their “ugly” game plan in 2005? Remember the 2012 side? They had no marquee players. It was team made up of young players, has beens and second-hand players not wanted at other clubs, a Canadian rugby player as ruckman, and Adam Goodes as their only known star player. But yes, it all had to do with COLA and not recruiting genius of the club, or the coaching smarts of Paul Roos and John Longmire.

Either option is better than nothing.

Well, the Swans are actually a relocated foundational VFL club – they were forced to move as South Melbourne. The moved to Sydney with next to nothing, and ran with next to nothing, and when Richard Colless took over as president in 1993, he said the clubs books were cooked.

Why didn’t the AFL show the same kind of hard line to other Victorian clubs that have been in a similar predicament to South Melbourne?

The difference is Carlton systematically cheated the salary cap and were accordingly punished. And I did mention the Lions had problems at board level, which didn’t help their cause. Going after Fevola was not a bad move – Carlton doesn’t have to compete with rugby league like the Lions do. And don’t get me started on the boardroom dramas and the many coaches the Blues have gone through since they won their last flag. And didn’t the Blues recruit Chris Judd to chase a flag?

The Swans never, ever used the COLA as a recruiting “fund” as those like to accuse the club of doing – all the players on Sydney’s list had to get it, as part of the agreement put place by the place the player’s managers. This accusation has never been proved.

It could be. We just hope those clubs in traditional AFL states leave the northern clubs alone to do what they have to do.

Firstly, Goodes was not booed, he was racially abused – I’ve been at games and heard the abuse first hand. The AFL even admitted they were too slow and should have assisted Adam better – a year after he retired. And before you know it, Eddie Betts starts copping it.

Secondly, the AFL backed the Swans in the corner over COLA. Eddie McGuire, who was the COLA’s biggest critic, said the trade ban was not fair. Suddenly ending the COLA would have the Swans immediately in breach of the cap. It was impractical. The COLA should not have existed, rather raising all clubs salary caps to the same lever to accommodate it, would have been better.

Maybe research a national competition like the NFL or NBA, and see where teams get relocated if they’re struggling. The salary caps also have extra incentives as a carrot for teams to win the championships.

The problem the NRL has had since the Super League War ended, is that it ended up virtually abandoning heartland area’s such as Wollongong, and Newcastle has been a basket case. It has had some economical challenges in that city which has indirectly impacted the Knights. The problem with the Gold Coast is that it’s a tourist city. At the same time, it’s worth a crack having teams there, for either code – they just need better planning.

Not sure mate, I believe they won the comp last season or the one before. When I left Goulburn in 1996, they were playing as the Goulburn Hawks. I’ve been in Wollongong since and cheer on the Wollongong Lions.

Yes the participation numbers for the AFL in both states has been heartening. That said, where are the incentives for this kids to continue playing the game?

As said earlier, it’s an argument that has been coined that NRL admin is marginally in front, and if they are it’s in the area of some social issues – not all. I did point out that 12 of the 16 NRL clubs are not happy. Both codes have glaring problems considering they ran at losses last season.

Exactly – the Lions concessions were all incentive based.

Nah, I’ve been writing about this for a while – over the last three seasons to be precise. I’m proud of what the Swans have achieved in the face of adversity and belligerent opposition.

The Western Bulldogs were receiving AFL support prior to the equalisation. They have since benefited by receiving millions from fines incurred on “richer” clubs. Collingwood, Hawthorn and West Coast bosses have all expressed their displeasure about that. Port Adelaide received a rescue package by the time of $14 million in 2011.
The AFL did not “deliver” premierships to either of the Lions or the Swans – they were achieved by the hard work of by the coaches and players at the time. It’s insult to Leigh Matthews, Paul Roos and John Longmire – especially considering the circumstances in which the clubs achieved their successes.

Not according to certain Victorian club bosses, they’re not. And not without giving up something for them. Give all clubs academies and have a national youth AFL premiership, and that problem will be solved. As well as a second-tier national comp – merge SANFL, WAFL, TFL and NEAFL. That would make the game interesting.

Who said anything about jumping ship? I didn’t. I can deal with lean years – I’m a paying Swans member and have supported them for 30 years, starting as a kid in the 1980’s. I also said “over the last few years” where in two of those years, Sydney made Grand Finals. I’m talking about being an AFL supporter in a non-AFL state, baffled with the way the successes of both the Swans and Lions have been treated. I also made a fairly elaborate case for my disillusionment with the game.

The Swans have never been on the AFL’s “teat”. Listen to Richard Colless’ interviews where he said the game gave them modest help, when Sydney had next to nothing to run with when he took over as president in 1993. I also said “there is an argument where it could be said the NRL admin is marginally in front of the AFL.” And it’s a small margin considering both codes ran at losses last season.

Nope, there is no expectation to win flags, year in, year out – I can stomach decline. Having supported the Swans for 30 years, as well as being a paying member, and witnessed the club go through horror patches, like 1992, 1993, and 1994, where they finished with three wooden spoons in a row, I know all about tough times. The Swans were the biggest joke in Australian sport; what I’m talking about is the way in which the successes of both clubs have been treated. Rather than be celebrated, they’ve largely been “punished” by having the programs in place to help the clubs run in pro-rugby league cities, taken away from them. Decline is a natural part of footy, however the Lions as an example, theirs has been a systematic one – not a natural one.

The Swans have missed the finals three time since 1996. Once since 2002.

You based your presupposition after a chat at the pub with a few mates, and not on actual fact or research. And before I get started I’m sure the NRL needed the Parramatta Eels salary cap scandal and the Manly Sea Eagles match fixing scandal, didn’t they?

A lot has happened since Tony Lockett retired; four other grand finals have been made, with two premierships coming back to the Harbour City in 2005 and 2012. Since 1996 the Sydney Swans have averaged nearly 29,000 members, name one Sydney NRL club that has that record? The Swans have rapidly grown from after winning the 2012 premiership to be on near about or over 52,000 members so far this season.

Also since 1996 the Swans average crowds of 30,000 nearly every game. Name one Sydney NRL club that gets those numbers? But what would I know, I’m an actual Sydney Swans club member who actually attends Sydney Swans games at the SCG. And it was actually two years after 1994 the Swans made the grand final.

The AFL is not going to win Western Sydney, that’s true; it has won a lot of ground in the eastern suburbs, in the Illawarra, the North Shore and Central Coast. The AFL Academies for both the Swans and Giants are beginning to bear fruit for the code. Callum Mills and Isaac Heeney for the Sydney Swans ended up being top 10 draft picks, and both played rugby union and rugby league – respectively. The other difference between the Swans and the Giants is one is a franchise, the other is VFL foundational club over 142 years old. It’s been in Sydney for 35 of them – to be averaging a crowd of 30,000 for the last 20 of those years in the Harbour City, is hardly bad going.

Much ado about nothing really, considering drawn grand finals in both codes are extremely rare. The NSWRL / ARL / NRL premiership has only had four: two decided by replay’s (1977, 1978), the third one decided by extra-time in 1989, and this years golden point.

There has only been 3 drawn Grand Finals in VFL / AFL history in 120 years of competition. I do agree extra-time should have happened in the 2010 decider. St Kilda would be right to feel a bit dirty about it because they were coming home with a wet sail and could have had premiership number two. Nothing wrong with a replay if scores are still tied after 10 minutes of extra-time each way, which the 1989 NSWRL Grand Final proved is unlikely (after 5 minutes each way), then that’s just madam-fate. Golden point cheapens a game for me. Almost an anti-climax.

Bruce – I’m surprised you moved yourself away from the daily tone and bothered with this old dinosaur. Of course Adam Goodes will be alright. He might have retired, but won’t be going away either.

His legacy will left for many indigenous players and people for decades to come. He wasn’t the first to make stand against racism and his culture, but he has been the loudest, and he won’t be the last. Only a fool, as your put it, will live in the denial that he won’t be.

Paul D – it might be draconian, but you wanted a solution and didn’t offer a counter solution, or a primary solution to begin with. It was hardly one yobbo booing at Adam Goodes – for example, the entire North Melbourne cheer squad booed Goodes.

Neither is there any campaign – it seems those who did the booing got what they wanted. They booed out of the game and made sure he didn’t finish in the game the way a two-time Brownlow medallist and premiership, and 372 game player deserves.

Thanks for psychoanalysing my mind – I actually wrote about this for The Roar last August, before it became a popular topic in the mainstream media. What is my view, even if it is a view shared in agreement by a few or many, is still my view.

That’s the problem – rather than acknowledge it and learn from it, the sentiment seems to be ‘Move on and forget about it.’

History is not going to be as forgiving – considering it took so long to begin to recognise the booing for what it was. The booing allowed a racist minority to hide amongst a majority who got in the act because it was some kind of sick novelty.

The greatest since 1989 – Balmain vs Canberra, which in my mind is the best rugby league match I’ve ever watched, along side the second State of Origin match in 1991.

Greg Inglis and Adam Goodes are not the only indigenous people to have stands for indigenous people and causes.

And no, I drink Americano’s (black coffee’s) and occasionally cappuccinos’ but thanks for asking. 😉

I was just musing a thought Happy Jack – as Australia rightly celebrated Johnathan Thurston’s deeds on Sunday night. It was a great moment in Australian sport – it didn’t matter what code or sport you followed.

And Thurston himself later shared his own thoughts on the Adam Goodes saga – saying it was harsh the way he was treated.