All Time Favourite Swans [Archive]

Humph

31 May 2007, 20:04

With all the anniversary nostalgia on the swans website it got me thinking about who my favourites have been.

1 vote - Barry Mitchell.
He was the reason I originally started barracking for the Swans. I barracked for Richmond because my dad did, until I went to primary school and found out you were allowed to pick your own team. If he hadn't bailed on the team in the end, he'd have 3 votes for sure.

2 votes - Daryn Cresswell.
If it wasn't for him I probably wouldn't be barracking for them still. Through the years when we really struggled he, along with Dale Lewis and Paul Kelly, gave me at least some reason to watch. He really battled hard those years and didn't get much help or recognition, but I appreciated it.

3 votes - Nic Fosdike.
I know he hasn't always been the greatest disposer of the ball, but I've always put money on him for the Brownlow and he almost won me $1500 when he came second in the Norm Smith '05. When I got the number 12 on my Swans Jumper, the guy at the store went "But isn't that Fosdike's number? Are you sure?". I'm probably the only one with that number apart from Fossie himself, but I've always been a huge fan and always will be.

Other Apologies to :
Nick Malceski - he's going the right way to be on this list soon though.
Wayne Henwood and John Ironmonger. I remember them being cool.
Jude Bolton - He tried to help me get my girlfriend back once, but it didn't work out. I in no way blame him though.

Feel free to share your own favourites, or just bag or agree with mine.
Luv Humph.

Big Snorky

31 May 2007, 20:42

Loved to watch Kel - Paul Kelly. He was sensational when the ball was on the ground and you'd watch him get that hard ball possession 8 times out of 10. Just a great inspirational captain. I had the pleasure to meet him and shake his hand.

SouthSwans

31 May 2007, 20:47

1. Paul Kelly -Other than Ben, this guy was the first guy that I really loved as a player for the boys. If you think of Kirk's determination and selflessness, this was Kirk x1000. Incredible player, incredible fighter, the best there's ever been, will be.

2. Paul Williams - What a champ, I almost cried at his 300th in the rooms cause he was always one of my favourites, even at Collingwood! One of those blokes who could have 30 possesions and not be noticed doing it.

3. Ben Mathews - To put it in simple terms blood's thicker than water. Me cousin is the reason I started following the boys and making a descision that turned out to be one of the best I'd ever made... or else I'd still be a Blues supporter... and that wouldnt be fun.

Hon Mentions: Wayne Schwass, Brad Seymour, Matthew Nicks, Daniel McPherson. Malceski and Kennelly will be up there soon.

Tuco

31 May 2007, 21:01

Kelly, Lockett, Cressa, Kickett, Roos, Kennelly, Kirk, Hall

...and just about every player in the starting lineup these days. :D

SWANNIES RULE

31 May 2007, 21:04

Cressa, Kelly, Paul Williams.

And who can forget......Jarrad Sundqvist :o

bradmanstandguy

31 May 2007, 21:07

Okay off the top of my head,players who have stuck in my mind.
Paul Kelly, Paul Williams, Stuart Maxfield, Plugga, Cresswell, Mark Bayes, Greg Williams, Capper, when he was in his prime he was a joy to watch,unfortunately
all those high marks deprived his brain of oxygen and he is now brain dead.

scottwade

31 May 2007, 23:20

Great idea for a thread, (but Fosdike :eek: :D ).
Now obviously there are champions like Kells, that you can't help but admire, but I'll go for three unsung 'heroes'.
Troy Luff, Jamie Lawson & Sandford Wheeler.
Luffie most will remember; a guy who actually became a quality CHB, but still had moments when you just closed your eyes and hoped.
Jamie Lawson was a short Aborigine speedster, who could light up the SCG, with a moment of brilliance, at a time when the club was regularly smashed. Unfortunately he got a shocking broken leg and had to quit playing in his early 20s.
Sandford Wheeler was a US born speedster, who properly nurtured could have been a good player, but coming late to the game he was often lost as to what to actually do with the ball. And Barassi unfortunately dumped him fairly quickly. Yet in many ways he could have been the protoyype for Tadhg Kennelly.

natlovestheswans

31 May 2007, 23:23

Matthew Nicks and Leo Barry.

Liesha

31 May 2007, 23:26

Kel and Roosy. I even made a sign begging Roosy not to retire when I was in high school. He pointed to it and acknowledged us and my friend and I will never forget that.

Sanecow

1 Jun 2007, 00:50

Love, Filandia, Heuskes, Cresswell and O'Loughlin. Top blokes.

Humph

1 Jun 2007, 01:13

I forgot to mention :
Heath James - I always thought that James was his middle name and his last name was either Season, Indefinite or (hamstring).
I was so close to putting Lawson and Wheeler down too.
Other Unsung Favs of mine- Terry Thripp, Paul Hawke, Wade Chapman, Scotty Direen and Adam Heuskes.

Kelly and Kirk are so universally loved I didn't really include them in my selection process. I put them up in the league with Bobby Skilton as being the heart and soul of the club, not down in the 'Fosdike's my favourite player' league.
Luv Humph.

scottwade

1 Jun 2007, 01:39

Other Unsung Favs of mine- Terry Thripp, Paul Hawke, Wade Chapman, Scotty Direen and Adam Heuskes.

Some good names there.
Wade Chapman was a definite favourite. But the bloke was as unlucky as poor old Heath indefinite. Got knocked from pillar to post at the Swans, went to Port and didn't play a game there due to injury.

Whilst on injuries and unlucky players you'd have to include Ryan Fitzgerald (although not necessarily a favourite). Always remember after he joined Adelaide he got booked for speeding; on his bicylce.

Tuco

1 Jun 2007, 10:25

Totally agree about Wade Chapman. Really admired the way he went about it. He played like Jonathan Brown with the body of Simon Phillips.

Heuskus is an interesting one. He and Luff sometimes get overlooked a bit. But their importance in 96 were crucial to our success that year. What I liked about Heuskus though was how he got under opponents nerves. I remember he used to sing little songs, and whistle a lot while he was standing next to them to drive them nuts. :D

One player I'd also like to mention is Kevin Dyson. Quiet bloke who tackled like a machine and just got things done. His long kicking was something to see!

I'd like to mention players pre-94. But I didn't regularly watch games live at the ground in those days. And stars Capper, Diesel, Ian Wright, Mitchell and co I only saw intermittently.

CirrusC2

1 Jun 2007, 13:22

Agree about Wade Chapman. Mark Orchard was another one in that mold.

J-swan

1 Jun 2007, 17:30

I cannot believe that nobody has mentioned Stewie! I loved watching him play, he has/had the best upper body in the game. Gives me shivers thinking about him. ;)

Tuco

1 Jun 2007, 17:50

I cannot believe that nobody has mentioned Stewie! I loved watching him play, he has/had the best upper body in the game. Gives me shivers thinking about him. ;)

Until Tiger came along I don't think there was a more exciting sight in Sydney football than to see Stewie running down the wing and kick those long goals from impossible angles on the boundary line. :thumbsu:

J-swan

1 Jun 2007, 19:10

I shed a tear the day I heard he had to retire and while I know he would have been thrilled with the resulting GF win, I felt soooo bad for him and Kell's.

Liesha

1 Jun 2007, 19:34

I shed a tear the day I heard he had to retire and while I know he would have been thrilled with the resulting GF win, I felt soooo bad for him and Kell's.

I must say it was kinda a bittersweet moment winning the GF, thinking about all those recently retired players who deserved a premiership medal.

Tuco

1 Jun 2007, 20:06

I must say it was kinda a bittersweet moment winning the GF, thinking about all those recently retired players who deserved a premiership medal.

It was great to see Kel out there on the ground after the win, though. I reckon they made him feel part of it.

But I guess you could say the same thing for all those generations of players who suffered in the past for Souths, and the early days of the Swans. The look on Skilton's face after the match said it all.

J-swan

1 Jun 2007, 20:40

.
But I guess you could say the same thing for all those generations of players who suffered in the past for Souths, and the early days of the Swans. The look on Skilton's face after the match said it all.
Very, very true.

Humph

1 Jun 2007, 21:37

Speaking of Stewie, I remember crying when I read this quote from Roosy before the '05 Grand Final.
"It's almost a case of if he came and said `Roosy can I play?' I'd almost put him on the bench as the 22nd man. That's how much respect we have for him and how much we feel we'd love to have him on the field."

When they played 'Superman (It's Not Easy)' by Five For Fighting when Wayne Schwass retired and did his lap of honour I shed a few tears as well. Although they never won any premeirships with the swans, there might be a lot of swans who wouldn't have won theirs if it wasn't for them.
Luv Humph.

donsman4eva

1 Jun 2007, 23:08

If I may chip in, I'll nominate Bayes, Creswell, Filandia (ex don :)) Kelly and Garlick.

donsman4eva

1 Jun 2007, 23:09

And I also forgot Dale Lewis. How could I do that!?!?!

liz

2 Jun 2007, 01:27

My all-time favourite is one of the more predictable players - Plugger.

First game I ever went to, Friday night against Carlton back in 1995. Hadn't got a clue about the rules or any of the players (recent arrival from the UK) but went along because a crowd from work was going and a few people had told me the game was quite spectacular.

Longtimers will remember that game. The first that Carlton lost all year and one of only two that season.

All I knew was that everytime the red boys did something good the crowd went wild. And there was this huge bloke wearing the red who kept catching the ball and kicking it through the bigger sticks. And every time he did it, the crowd went especially wild. I had no idea of his name, even less that he was one of the greats of the game. It was love at first sight that night (with football, not Plugger) and probably was a major reason why I chose to settle in this country permanently and even change my nationality.

So you can say that Plugger really did change my life!!!

Nowadays I love almost all of them but have had special soft spots for Stewie and Luffy. And right now for O'Keefe, Kennelly and Ablett.

SouthSwans

2 Jun 2007, 02:19

I cried at Plugger's last game, not because he was finishing, but because he wouldnt sign jumper after the game in the rooms. Hey I was only 9...

Tuco

2 Jun 2007, 04:19

I cried at Plugger's last game, not because he was finishing, but because he wouldnt sign jumper after the game in the rooms. Hey I was only 9...

That's a bit much. Snubbing a 9 year old... He must have changed his tune over the years, however, because when we spied him at the dog track during a bucks night for my mate recently (don't ask :D ) we convinced him to sign the groom's shirt for us.

Humph

2 Jun 2007, 12:36

A few weeks before Plugger won his Brownlow in '87, he was still working part time at a pub in Ballarat. He signed a beer coaster for a little seven year old Humph, which he had to send out in the mail because he wasn't working the day that I was there. I reckon he's just waiting for Micky O and Ben Mathews to retire before he makes another comeback, so you might still get another chance. Luv Humph.

Glenn_

2 Jun 2007, 14:10

Of the current players, Eski,Tadgh,Hall,MOL,C Bolton,Goodes

Past Swans players (that I have seen play) Carroll,Lewis,Bayes,Carter,Kelly,Lockett,Lawson,Capper (pre bris bears days),Greg Williams

is2SWaNz

2 Jun 2007, 23:19

Current players: Buchanan (of course), Goodes, Eski and Tadhg

Past Players: Stuey Maxfield!!!

Liesha

4 Jun 2007, 11:46

xxscubaxx

4 Jun 2007, 12:18

kelly, creswell, goodes, dunkley, roos, lockett, kirk and one player i didnt see play but cant leave out, skilton.

Bloods boy from the Bush

4 Jun 2007, 13:03

Tuco

4 Jun 2007, 13:15

Well I worried about having a favourite everytime I do they leave the club
Shannon Grant Loved him in '96
Jason Saddington Loved him till '05
Now ROK is my hero so please Swans dont trade him because he is a superstar.

Okay. So if he leaves the club it's all your fault. I'll remember that. :p

But hey nothing beats me on Sat night. Got into the car to go to the game and the radio was playing "We're on the way to Nowhere". How's that for a bummer of an omen? :D

SydneyDon

4 Jun 2007, 13:44

I always liked Mark Browning.

The Made Guy

4 Jun 2007, 14:48

Dermott Brereton!

MalceskiFan

4 Jun 2007, 18:45

So many, but the main ones would be:

Paul Kelly - Most courageous player of all time.
Mark Bayes - Best kick of the footy I have ever seen
Stuart Maxfield - Great to watch and a fantastic leader
Brett Kirk - Inspirational leader
Andrew Dunkley - As good a spoiler/mark of the footy as I have seen, shame about his kicking.

Some of the less popular players I admired:

Darren Kappler
Andrew Schauble
Dale Lewis - Never quite lived up to his potential :(
Wade Chapman

So many others that I am trying to think of but I finished work 17 minutes ago and really should go home.

Jizza9

6 Jun 2007, 10:59

From my younger days I have to say Cresswell, Schwass and Dunkley. Dunkley was actually inspiring as a young fella because he played league footy even though he couldn't kick. Gave us all hope.

Tuco

6 Jun 2007, 11:08

From my younger days I have to say Cresswell, Schwass and Dunkley. Dunkley was actually inspiring as a young fella because he played league footy even though he couldn't kick. Gave us all hope.

I still cherish the memory of those couple of successful kicks for goal he had. :p

No1SwansFan

6 Jun 2007, 13:33

Favourite players. Gee thats tough how many can i name?

Kelly - I was so happy on Saturday night that my kids could see the almight Paul Kelly play.

Luffy - I love him way back when. He ran straight past us up to (what I assume was) the commentry booth to do his job for MMM.

Cressa and Kirk - These 2 are for similar reasons they were both awesome at their jobs and no one was tougher.

How about a couple like D. Bolton, Gentleman Cords, Stuart Maxfield and no list is complete without Capper flying through the air.

And how could anyone not put Jason Ball and Nick davis on a list after their efforts aainst Geelong in the finals series in 05 to put us in the GF.

Cheer Cheer the Red and the White.

No1SwansFan

6 Jun 2007, 16:39

That's a bit much. Snubbing a 9 year old... He must have changed his tune over the years, however, because when we spied him at the dog track during a bucks night for my mate recently (don't ask :D ) we convinced him to sign the groom's shirt for us.

You may find it was the lack of a personal assistant. My kids had a meet and greet with him and he no time for the kids at all and was hurried out of there mighty quick by his pa.

Humph

6 Jun 2007, 17:24

I really like Nick Davis, but he seems to be capable of doing so much more than most players that its annoying sometimes when he doesn't. Dale Lewis was another player who I loved, but his style sometimes made it look like he wasn't really trying as hard. When these guys go for a mark one-handed, or try a shot at goal from an impossible angle and get it, no-one is that surprised, whereas if Fosdike did it I'd probably think it was the greatest moment in Swans History. When they mess it up I get frustrated because my expectations are so high. Luv Humph.

Tarkyn_24

8 Jun 2007, 11:43

5 Lockett
4 Dempster
3 Kelly
2 Roos
1 Kirk

Sorry; Schnider, Malceski, Ablett, McViegh, both Boltons, Saddington.

mark73

8 Jun 2007, 14:00

5 Lockett
4 Dempster
3 Kelly
2 Roos
1 Kirk

Sorry; Schnider, Malceski, Ablett, McViegh, both Boltons, Saddington.
Graeme?

What about;

Rod Carter
Tony Morwood
Philip Plumb
Stevie Wright
Colin Hounsell
Barry (was very) Round
David Rhys-Jones
Wayne Carroll
Dennis Carroll
Brett Scott
John Roberts
Graeme Teasdale
Silvio Foschini
Gary Bryce
Francis Jackson
John Scarlett
John Rantall

There's a few blasts from the past although admittedly most were South Melbourne players as much as Sydney.

Tarkyn_24

8 Jun 2007, 19:14

Graeme?

What about;

Rod Carter
Tony Morwood
Philip Plumb
Stevie Wright
Colin Hounsell
Barry (was very) Round
David Rhys-Jones
Wayne Carroll
Dennis Carroll
Brett Scott
John Roberts
Graeme Teasdale
Silvio Foschini
Gary Bryce
Francis Jackson
John Scarlett
John Rantall

There's a few blasts from the past although admittedly most were South Melbourne players as much as Sydney.
nup Sean. My memory doesn't go back that far;)

TheFoot

9 Jun 2007, 01:05

As a kid Barry Round becasue i had his footy card signed.

As a teenager Healey was a fav

As a young adult Kels and Cressa

Hated Plugger in 94 loved him at the end of 95

Loved Goodes from his first game and Schwass when he crossed over.

ATM Kennelly, Malceski and Kirk.

Tarkyn_24

9 Jun 2007, 01:11

That's a bit much. Snubbing a 9 year old... He must have changed his tune over the years, however, because when we spied him at the dog track during a bucks night for my mate recently (don't ask :D ) we convinced him to sign the groom's shirt for us.
yeah. I loved Plugger, but he was a bit emotional. Still, a great player and man.

smasher

9 Jun 2007, 07:23

I was in awe of Plugger.He was amazing to watch.

SouthSwans

11 Jun 2007, 13:40

5 Lockett
4 Dempster
3 Kelly
2 Roos
1 Kirk

Sorry; Schnider, Malceski, Ablett, McViegh, both Boltons, Saddington.
Sheeez you havent been around long...

Tarkyn_24

11 Jun 2007, 14:59

Sheeez you havent been around long...
born in 1992. Have a soft spot for em.

xxscubaxx

11 Jun 2007, 16:12

you would have been six when roos retired.. your telling me you remember him that well?

Tarkyn_24

11 Jun 2007, 16:39

you would have been six when roos retired.. your telling me you remember him that well?
yep. him and plugs were my two favs at that time

Masss#10

11 Jun 2007, 17:53

Paul Kelly was the greatest and Plugger GUNNS

Masss#10

11 Jun 2007, 17:53

Maxfield was good too...

TheFoot

11 Jun 2007, 20:37

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/192/493483158_3d9e9232fe.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/493501699_355f712bf9.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/493501299_a78cd29104_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/190/493481468_ebf3f2c1c7.jpg

More here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8181213@N05/)

rancidpants13

12 Jun 2007, 00:21

Paul Kelly was the greatest and Plugger GUNNS

kelly, now and forever...many come close but he carried the team through those dark days and was so dignified in the celebrations after we won in 2005, you could see what it meant to him but he stayed in the background and never tried to steal anyone's thunder....a class act
right now, LRT is the man, a cult hero, and malch too, kennlly, big baz, plugger, goodes, brett kirk is man in the same mould as kell but probly just not quite the same in terms of skills, but a champ...and jude bolton, coz at the end of their tour after winning the GF, in almost 40-degree heat down at the lake oval after coping with a crowd of 5000-plus, and everyone was exhausted, jude was a gentleman, signed my son's jude bolton footy card and smiled, took time for a brief chat....for similar reasons on the same day, luke ablett and mon will always be fondly remembered by my family

Here It Is

12 Jun 2007, 01:25

No.1 Paul Kelly - is clearly my current favourite - the way he dived under the packs and laid it all on the line week in week out was impossible not to get excited about.
No.2 Warwick Capper - Wokka was standing on everyone's shoulders when I started following footy in 1986 and he was the most exciting player in the competition without a doubt. 39 was (and still is) the only number I have ever worn on a Swans jumper and I was so devastated when he went to Brisbane that I almost followed him. Thankfully that didn't last more than six weeks because they ****ed his career. It had nothing to do with his ego.
No.3 There's no others that really stand out for me, so I'm going to be boring here and say everybody else I've seen play for the club in the past 21 years. Except the traitors who walked out (Greg Williams and Shannon Grant, I'm looking in your direction).

And yes I see the irony of Capper v Williams/Grant. The reason: Capper was my hero - I virtually barracked for him in the early going. Williams deserted what was a sinking ship at the time. Grant went to the mongrels who had not long beaten us (and him) in a grand final.

magpie_man

12 Jun 2007, 11:07

I only seriously started following the swans around 2001ish, since then:
Schneider, Jude Bolton, Malceski, O'Loughlin, Maxwell, Cresswell and I used to like Saddington :mad:

Tarkyn_24

12 Jun 2007, 11:37

Maxfield was god too...
You had a great list of players who deserved to win a premiership. Paul Kelly was a champion of the game, and its sad to see he has almost been forgotten by anyone except Swans supporters

xxscubaxx

13 Jun 2007, 12:40

yeh its a shame, if he played for a team like collingwood or essendon he would be held in the same regard as Hird or Buckley, well known and considered great by the competition.

terryo

13 Jun 2007, 22:44

I used to love watching Jamie Lawson play. Great hands, super fast, and in a better club (at the time) would have been a real star. SWaw him tackle and bring down Mil Hanna after a great chase.When Hanna saw who got him he couldn't believe it! Then the Adelaide doctors cruified his leg - and a career. Pity. Would be great to see him still around.

Tuco

14 Jun 2007, 00:24

yeh its a shame, if he played for a team like collingwood or essendon he would be held in the same regard as Hird or Buckley, well known and considered great by the competition.

So true. And he had the respect of his peers too. Kelly was named the League's most courageous player 5 times over a 7 years period by the AFLPA. He was right up there with Hird, Carey and Voss in that regard.