Source : ABC NEWS
— reporting by Lucy McNally
Polly Burridge is a self-confessed Sydney Swans tragic, and co-host of independent podcast True Bloods.
“I’ve been a member of the club for 20 years. It’s a huge part of my life. It’s probably the biggest relationship I’ve been in apart from my family,” she said.
But this week’s Swans scandal has rocked the club, and been very tough on its biggest supporters, like Burridge.
“I always felt like they stood for the right thing, like right now I’m wearing the women’s Pride guernsey — we are multicultural, inclusive, we do the best by everyone, that’s why I think this has been such a shock for everyone,” she said.
“When the news broke, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much dread. In my lifetime, we’ve had four grand final losses, and this was 10,000 times that. I didn’t think I would ever see this crest shown in this light and I think that’s why it hurt so much.”
But despite the pain, Burridge is planning to go to today’s double-header; to watch both the men’s and women’s matches.
“At one point during this week I thought I’d just go for the girls then leave because it was at the point where the sanctions had not been handed down,” she says.
“But now that the club has decided, I don’t think it’s fair to punish the boys who have done nothing wrong as they have also had their trust broken.”
The Swans AFLW team play Essendon Bombers today.
Their coach Colin O’Riordan held a press conference on Friday alongside captain Lucy McEvoy, where he expressed his disappointment over the scandal, as well as his deep pride in the women’s side.
McEvoy was then asked how she and her teammates were coping.
Polly Burridge said it’s a shame the AFLW side has to deal with those questions.
“I understand why people want a women’s perspective on this but at the same time they are still professionals, they still have a game to play and you need to let them do their job as opposed to being the beacon of hope for everyone,” she said.
“Yes let’s interview Callum Mills, let’s not necessarily interview Lucy McEvoy, let’s let her do her job and ask her a question about the football rather than ‘how do you feel about the segregation between the two teams?'”
The podcast host said she is now excited to head to Moore Park today.
“I do think the girls will absolutely win … I do think they’ll have a fantastic game,” Burridge said.
“I think the boys who have been hurt are going to put in a good show. It’s going to be a beautiful day of unity, a day the Swans fans will remember forever.”
