Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Sydney Swans fans came out in droves to support the AFLW team on Sunday ahead of the men’s team’s first match since five teammates were suspended for the rest of the AFL season for breaching club standards.
The women’s team opened Sydney’s first SCG double-header with a 9.12 (66) to 6.6 (42) win over Essendon in front of 16,672 fans — more than double the Swans’ previous record AFLW crowd.
It marked a bright spot at the end of a difficult week for the club, with some fans departing afterwards but the crowd still building ahead of the AFL clash with North Melbourne later on Sunday afternoon.
The men’s team will take the field without banned quintet Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon.
The Swans’ club-imposed bans are independent of a police investigation. 7NEWS is not suggesting any wrongdoing, and none of the players have been interviewed, arrested or charged by police.
As the fallout continues in the background, attention turned back to football on Sunday with the women, caught in the crossfire of the shattering situation, taking the field first.
Fans arrived early at the SCG and some quickly unfurled banners to support the club.
“Be confident. Be courageous. Stand proud even when it hurts,” one read.
Another read: “The Swans are nothing without W.”
One more simply said: “Support women.”
But one banner with more blunt language was quickly removed by security.
“No more d***heads please,” it read.
The Reddit user who posted the photos wrote: “Well that banner didn’t last long … barely even three minutes before security came over and took it away.”
Some Sydney fans kept their promise to walk out of the SCG after the AFLW game but a large crowd built throughout ahead of the men’s clash.
“We weren’t sure what we were expecting but to see the support we’ve received today is just unbelievable,” AFLW captain Lucy McEvoy told Fox Sports after full-time.
“Our members and fans are so tight, they know we’re united as a club and we’re better than what we were at the start of the week.
“I’m just so grateful to have the support we do today and the girls were able to turn it on for them today, so it was really good.”
McEvoy had fronted a press conference with coach Colin O’Riordan on Friday, after the AFLW team had been addressed by men’s captain Callum Mills earlier in the week.
She said they still had “a few nervous girls” on Sunday morning but the support spurred them on.
“You just hear it right now, it’s absolutely unbelievable,” McEvoy said.
“Even when we ran out at the start of the game through the banner it was just absolutely unbelievable. But we absolutely turned it on.”
The men’s team arrived on the SCG for their warm-ups during the AFLW celebrations, hugging players and thanking fans for their support.
The women sung the song in the middle of the ground in full view of supporters.
Swans fans speak up
Several fans told AAP they still supported the club despite feeling disappointed in the five banned players.
“We support the club wholeheartedly,” Swans supporter Russell Le-Guier said.
“The club itself is what this is about, not the individual players, they’ll come and go over the years, but it’s the club itself that we support.”
Rosalie Le-Guier said she’d be cheering just as loud, if not louder than usual when the men took the field.
“You don’t punish the boys in the rest of the team,” she said.
“We’re here to support the club. We’re here to support the rest of the players.”
Another Swans fan Kate Hipsley explained why she wouldn’t be walking out of the SCG after the women’s game.
“As far as we know, the men playing in the men’s game have not done anything wrong and they will be hurting as well,” she said.
“I don’t care about the premiership — it’s more important than premierships – you care for the the culture of the team, which has taken a huge hit.”
Supporter David McGilchrist said he was generally happy with how the club had dealt with the scandal, despite being disappointed.
“I’m disappointed and I’ve got a bit of anger now as well of what’s happened, but a lot of disappointment and massive shock,” he said.
“But I’m here to support the support the girls, the men, the club.”
