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September 24, 2005
AFL: Finals Day V
It has been more than 70 years since the Swans (then South Melbourne) have won a grand final. You can read about that win in a reprinted article: South Melbourne premiers:
Before an Australian record football crowd of 75, 754 persons, South Melbourne on Saturday at the Melbourne cricket ground played brilliantly to win the 1933 premiership of the Victorian Football League, Richmond being vanquished by the considerable margin of 42 points.
Anticipations of a desperate, thrilling struggle were not realise, the Southerners never at any time allowing their opponents to swing into anything like matching winning form. Nevertheless the contest held the interest of spectators throughout, as Richmond fought determinedly right to the final bell.
It could be sensed early in the opening quarter that the phenomenal ground pace of the Southerners, combined with splendid marking, kicking and non-stop action in all part of the field would seriously trouble Richmond.
South missed shot after shot in the opening quarter, but settled down towards the end if the term. Richmond dragged badly on the half-forward and forward lines, the Southern defenders giving one of the finest displays of defensive work seen for years in the finals and at the first change South led by 3.5 to 0.2.
A deal of determined, fearless play was seen in the strenuously-contested second quarter when Richmond sought to apply additional physical vigor, but the Southerners swung back manfully, and with interest, and demonstrated they would not be bumped off their game.
Back then, the Swans were better known as the 'Bloods' (hence the use of red as a club colour) and they won primarily thanks to a number of interstate imports. Given that some of the imports were from WA and there were some real swans nesting near the training ground, the suggestion was made of calling the team 'Swans'.
This original photo (and text) comes from The Melbourne Age:
So great was the interest in Saturday's grand final of the VFL between
South Melbourne and Richmond that the record crowd to ever view a
cricket or football match atteneded at the MCG. Inset: Dr W.C. McClelland,
president of the VFL, presenting to W. Smallhorn (Fitzroy) the Brownlow Medal.
There is a PDF scan of the original article in the Melbourne Age available here.
Posted by Ozguru at September 24, 2005 11:00 AM
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