Three thousand kilometres in distance isn’t enough to separate the WA Sydney Swans Supporters Club from the team they love.
The small but dedicated Perth-based group have been awarded the title of Supporter Group of the Year from the AFL Fans Association (AFLA).
Daz Sommerville is the president of the Perth-based WA Sydney Swans Supporters Club. (ABC News: Garrett Mundy)
“It is quite surreal,” the club’s president Daz Sommerville said.
“People think we’re very fanatical, which to some extent, I suppose we are.”
The group was celebrated for its sense of community and inclusivity.
“The WA Sydney Swans Supporters Club, led by Mr Sommerville, is a prime example of what a dedicated supporters group can achieve,” AFLFA president Ron Issko said.
The Sydney Swans, who finished first on the ladder at the end of the home-and-away season, are through to the preliminary finals after beating the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the first week of the finals.
They’re getting set to face off against Port Adelaide Power, who finished second on the ladder, at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Friday.
Both teams last faced off in round 21, where Port Adelaide soundly defeated the Swans by 122 points.
The Swans face off against Port Adelaide Power this Friday. (Supplied)
An exciting time to be a Swans supporter
Mr Sommerville said it was a particularly exciting time to be a Swans supporter, even as part of a slim minority Perth, where the Fremantle Dockers and the West Coast Eagles reign supreme among locals.
“We’re just ridiculously excited about taking on Port Adelaide on Friday night,” he said.
Throughout the season, whenever the Swans are playing, a team of die-hard fans gather in a bar in Perth to barrack for the Sydney side.
Die-hard fans gather in a bar in Perth to barrack for the side. (Supplied: WA Sydney Swans Supporters Club)
“Just the fact we’ve created an environment that is inclusive and just has everyone basically lining up to come in the door is something that’s pretty big for us.”
He said the win against the Giants in the first round of the finals was an especially sweet victory.
“Looking around the venue there, it was amazing to see how many people were crying and screaming and cheering,” Mr Sommerville said.
“It just makes me happy to be able to coordinate these sorts of things.”
‘They’ve never felt so happy to get together’
He said it takes a particular level of pride to support a team from so far away.
“Most other people … get to see their footy teams very regularly, several weekends in a row, and they go away occasionally,” Mr Sommerville said.
“For us, we were lucky if we get one game a year over here.”
He said most members were expats from the east coast living in WA, but others had a number of reasons for backing a side so far from their homes.
Mr Sommerville said the remoteness of the WA-based fans from their club is why they’re so passionate. (ABC News: Garrett Mundy)
“One of our members … says she supports the Swans because her favourite colour is pink, and mixing red and white together makes pink so that when that was her rationale of becoming a Swans supporter.”
Mr Sommerville said the fan club’s remoteness made it all the more passionate.
“It makes me happy to have people send me messages or ring me up saying they’ve never felt so happy to get together [with] a bunch of Swans fans in WA and still feel like they’re basically part of the Sydney Swans community.”
