Sydney gets behind the Swans

By Alison Zell

Hundreds of Swans fans packed the SCG on Tuesday afternoon to watch the Swans’ final public training session ahead of the 2012 AFL Grand Final on Saturday afternoon.

Every player was greeted with a rousing reception as they made their way up the Paul Kelly race and onto the ground for the week’s first training session in front of the red and white faithful.

Swans forward Lewis Roberts-Thomson, who grew up in Sydney, said it was an exciting time, both for himself and for AFL in the state.

“I grew up supporting the Swans and now playing for the Swans and to be playing in a Grand Final for the Swans, it’s pretty special,” he said.

With a crowd of more than 57,000 for their Preliminary Final win over Collingwood at ANZ Stadium on Friday night, Roberts-Thomson said the whole city is supporting the Swans.

“It was a great atmosphere out there,” he said.

“It was wonderful to get that many people out there and I think it’s great for the game.

“You go back a few years ago, we had a final out there against North Melbourne and I think we only got [a crowd of] 19,000.

“I think it just shows that the acceptance of the Swans has come a long way and Sydney is really behind us.”

Co-captain Jarrad McVeigh, who hails from the Central Coast, hoped Swans fans would be out in force in the lead up to the biggest game of the year.

“We’ve got a really good supporter base and the SCG is normally pretty full when we play here which is great,” McVeigh said.

“We’ve got a lot of South Melbourne fans down there [in Melbourne] also so I’m looking forward to having a really strong voice down at the MCG.”

The media throng that met the players this morning was more than triple its usual numbers and the crowds that packed the SCG for the open training session proved that Sydney are well and truly behind the Swans.

Swans Fan Olivia Down is travelling to Melbourne with her dad and sister on Thursday for the Grand Final and couldn’t miss the chance to see the players’ last hit out in Sydney for the year.

“It’s such a rare opportunity to see them train, especially for such an important game,” she said.

“And the crowd here is unbelievable.

“There was a line 100 metres down Driver Ave when I arrived, all waiting to get in.”

Kids lined up along the SCG fence as most of the players spent more than half an hour signing autographs and taking photos, with Swans midfield star Josh Kennedy proving a hit with the fans.

Click here to check out the photo gallery of Swans fans at today’s training session.