24th September 2005

[hammo_cheersquad]

yepp, today marks exactly 3 years (to the day) that we won our premiership in 2005
i know i'll wear a scarfe to school in commemoration of probably the best day of my life

what about you?
tell us your stories of that day and how the events unfolded
were you at the game...can you recall your seat number?!

AND do you think we are waiting another 69 years to see another flag??

 

[SOPH_CROSS]

i was on my couch in the living room with a friend who never watched a game of AFL in her life! I was in my gym gear because we were meant 2 go for a walk after the game! I seriously had the butterflies i cant remember much except for leos mark and when tiger jumped on his back i knew we had won it was a chilling/exciting moment! I cried i cried sooooo much i was so happy and then i ran out of my house with my swannies flag and scarf and danced on the main road of my street cars and people or tooting and yelling!

That was the day i wanted 2 have any of their babies!

at school the next week everyone was running up 2 me and asking me all about it and people were telling me they watched the game because the week before the grand final i stuck posters around my school saying 2 get behind the boys !

One of the greatest moments in my life

if there is one thing i could do...it would be 2 relive that moment at the MCG!

 

[SM]

It was about the third game I'd watched, and I was really getting behind the boys at that point because the previous two games had excited me a lot. I only knew a few of their names (Hall, O'loughlin, O'keefe, Buchanan, Schneider, Barry, Kirk I think) shamefully, but we had a heap of people over and Dad got a projector from his officer so it was projected into a huge screen.

All I really remember was feeling so tense for all of the last quarter because it was so close, and not knowing how long was to go, and just praying we'd make it. And then Leo Barry took that mark and I was on my feet screaming with joy.

I've never looked back since.

 

[Jeffers]

I was there. M11 i think it was. Near the Swans cheer squad.
Things that were stuck in my mind during the game as it was almost a complete blur:

- Absolutely awesome sea of Red at the MCG. I think we outnumbered the Eagles supporters that day but it was vice versa in 06 (i was there too)

- Looking at the makeshift little scoreboard timer which read 31:58 minutes in the 4th quarter and me screaming "BLOW THE ****ING SIREN" When it was so god damn tense.

- My no reaction to Leo Barry's mark. As soon as Cox sent that ball from outside 50, everyone around me (and myself) stood up. Couldn't see too well in front but all i remember is the MASSIVE cheer around me, i assumed we marked it but i just remember standing there like a stunned mullet until i heard the faint Siren (due to the ferocity of the noise around me) which is when i went absolutely ballistic hugging all my mates around me and jumping up and down a thousand times.

- Thought the PA system sucked alot at the ground, had problems hearing the speeches etc. but i was in such a state of ecstasy that i couldn't give a shit.

After all of that i headed over to Punt Road. Thankfully i got in as alot of people unfortunately missed out due to it being full and heard the Whitlams performing and Vanessa Amarossi (yuk) before our champions came in.

I managed to catch this on my digital camera. Great moment

[YOUTUBE]LTvPiDHb45M[/YOUTUBE]

After all that, i remember partying hard and all night at Crown Casino. The players had a function at the Palladium there and just remember hugging random people etc.

Fantastic weekend. One of the best weekends of my life.

 

[disgruntled goat]

Happy anniversary to all.

It was a surreal day, and I still remember feeling more a sense that it was the team's destiny to win, so even in those last desperate moments I know I was watching almost calmly, like it was meant to happen that way.
Subsequently, after that game and for the next few days it was more a feeling of "well, what now?"
Part of me, still today, almost feels cheated.
It took a full year, to what happened in the 2006 Grand Final, to really hit home what the team had done in 05.

 

[EatBig Australia]

I tried desperately to get tickets and couldn't get one. Watched the game on my couch with a few Crown Lagers's (special beer for a special occasion) and cooked myself a couple sav's at half time. Nearly brought them back up when Ablett kicked it to Cousins. I sprinted to the sink but got the all clear a moment later.

Man what a day. "Leo Barry you star"!

 

[grimlock]

All I remember is hugging random drunk people next to me when Leo took that mark.

 

[Hooley McBoob]

I was at the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi with my friend Soph (not this Soph, another Soph!) I don't remember much really. We were drinking Strongbows...and I saw Tadhg jump on Leo...and then I cried for about 3 hours afterwards.

 

[.Shotties.]

Awesome day. Was at the MCG, went out after, got back to the hotel at 3am and the game was just starting again on repeat.

The feeling when the siren went, that ultimate feeling of pure relief and elation that we'd won... can't be topped.

 

[ssfc0203]

I was at one of my family friends' house.. they don't follow the Swans (or footy for that matter) but had a huge ass tv so I parked myself and my brother there and watched the game. Don't remember much except screaming and hugging everyone once the siren went screaming out 'Leeeeeeeooooooooo!' and Barry's 'Captains Goal'.

Afterwards, I got perked up on TONS of sugar/coke/lollies/liquers at my friends' house and proceeded to travel the neighbourhood on a bike attempting to sing the club song, lol.

Also, my parents' Wedding Anniversary is on the 24th of September, so every year we celebrate the win. Kinda

 

[wce_all_da_way]

I was in my lounge room sobbing.

 

[superchook32]

wow a 3 yr anniversary
this is just creepy, for some strange reason i decided to get my grand final dvd and watch the game.. did even know that it was today
spooky

 

[Dudley]

I did not cry once on the day.

Should i get my tear ducts checked out ?

 

[chrismcgrath]

i remember i wasn't going to go cause i couldn't get tickets, then abou wednesday before the grand final my next door neighbour asked me if i wanted 2 tickets that he's girlf friendhad won in a raffel at work and she hated the footy, i snaped them up for $100 each and me and the mrs had one of the best days (daughter was born 3 months earlier in the year so that just pip's it) of my life!

 

[ssfc0203]

i did not cry once on the day.

Should i get my tear ducts checked out ?

06.?

 

[balldman]

Ah,yes the of 24th September 2005.
Runs on close 2nd to the birth of my daughter,as the most memorable day of my life.
The whole week was just an amazing experience.I put "Free Barry" Posters up all around work,my partner & workmates drove the streets of inner Sydney in the work car,draped in "anything & everything" red & white, tooting the carhorn,& causing traffic chaos in peakhour.
Left for Melbourne Thursday,spotted Anthony Koutifides at Sydney Airport(he's cool,chatted for a bit & he signed my GF Record).He tipped the Eagles BTW!
Won a Sherrin @ Fed Square in a kicking comp(beat a 9yr old kid)but I didn't feel slack cos I won it for my stepson,who was more into playing the Playstation games they had there.
GF parade was great,even though we were hugely outnumbered.
Made banners that night in the hotel room
'"WE'VE GOT THE RYAN-O VIRUS(my missus & a girlfriend had this one) & ANDREW DEMETRIOU YOU WERE WRONG(that was mine).
The rest ...well it's pretty much like everyone else ...Game...I sat at Swans supporters end(seat?)...LEO YOU STAR....AFTER PARTY....HUGE NIGHT...2HRS SLEEP...VICTORY PARTY SUNDAY...& back to Sydney the next day.

 

[.Shotties.]

I was in my lounge room sobbing.

In 06 when the siren went I stood up and screamed "Come the **** on, 30 more seconds!". Then kinda fell back in my seat.

 

[SM]

I had a bet with my mum's boyfriend, both sitting there nervous as hell, siren went and I just crumpled in disbelief. He stood up cheerily, went over collected the money, smiled at me and walked out. I sat there for about half an hour unmoving, head in hands.

 

[bedford]

I did not cry once on the day.

Should i get my tear ducts checked out ?

no maybe Duds just do a few normal posts please

 

[Burek]

[youtube]LTvPiDHb45M[/youtube]

hahahahahah OMG i was standing either next to you or behind you as i remember the camera phone and i was in exactly that spot! and you can hear my voice singing cheer cheer!

awesome day and night!

 

[scottwade]

Of course moments during the day, such as Hall's 50 metre goal before half time, Leo's mark, the joy of the siren, Tadhg's jig, but most of all the number of older supporters who had followed South for years walking around, repeating, it seems one of 2 phrases;
"I never thought I'd see this day"
"I can die happy now"

 

[Michaelg]

Re: 24th September 2005
A lot of ghosts were laid to rest that day. My family has supported the Swans since 1874, and no living member of the family had seen a flag. My dad was 11 in 1933 and he didn't get to go to the ground. Of course there was no TV in those days. My sister and I, who had spent every Saturday through the '60s at the footy watching Bobby Skilton lose heroically more often than not, were both there at the 'G on 24/9. Dad was in Ireland, watching it on the telly in someone's kitchen at about 5.30 am. I was in the Great Southern Stand with my son.

In those last few minutes, all the play was at the other end and we could barely see what was going on. We heard the roar for Leo's mark but we didn't know what had happened. We didn't hear the siren but eventually it became obvious it was all over and we had won. My son and I embraced for a minute or two, then I collapsed on my seat with my head in my hands and wept, for all those decades of pain when we couldn't win a chook raffle; when Dr Edelsten was threatening to change our colours, our name, whatever; when the AFL was threatening to disband the club. I wept for all those old supporters I had known over the years who endured the lean times but who had passed on before seeing the '05 triumph.

After the game we walked around the outside of the 'G and like others, I saw so many people hugging and saying they could die happy; I heard people saying their dear old dad had been with them in spirit when the siren sounded. We moved on down to the Punt Rd oval and we were so angry when they wouldn't let us in. There was hectares of space on the ground, in the stands, on the outer, but some stupid goon had decided it was a security risk or something.

I got on the phone to Dad who was as delighted about the result as any of us despite being on the other side of the world.

So we then headed on down to the sacred site at the Lake Oval, where it was eerily quiet. We paid homage and made our way to Clarendon St which was really humming. There were cars driving up and down the street with streamers and scarves hanging out, horns tooting, and the pubs were overflowing with joyous Swans supporters. We parked the car and walked up and down the street high-fiving, shaking hands, chatting with old-timers. We met one who regularly played bowls with Bob Pratt's son and who had followed the Swans since the '30s.

We drove home to Ballarat, had a couple of hours' sleep and headed bleary-eyed back down the highway to Albert Park (this time with my daughter in tow as well), where we joined the celebrations with the triumphant players and coaches, which was just magic. Speaking of magic, the highlight for me was Micky O'Loughlin's undisguised delight as he ran around among the supporters holding out the cup and his premiership medal for people to touch. We bought every newspaper we could, Melbourne and Sydney papers, as well as WEG posters and every souvenir we could get, and of course I still have them all.

The following week I listened to talkback radio and a woman came on saying how her father had taken her to the footy every week in her childhood to see the Swans, but when they went to Sydney she lost a bit of interest and eventually stopped following them altogether; but on the day, she found herself irresistibly drawn to the telly to watch the last quarter, and she wept openly on radio as she related her emotions in those precious seconds after the final siren. I found it impossible to contain my own emotions as I listened.

On the weekend after the big day we all went down to the Lake Oval to watch as Bobby Skilton raised the flag over the beautiful old stand, where it still flies triumphantly to this day. It capped off the season beautifully.

 

[Hooley McBoob]

Fantastic story michaelg Much better than my effort: "I got drunk and cried and hugged randoms."

 

[.Shotties.]

Re: 24th September 2005
We bought every newspaper we could, Melbourne and Sydney papers, as well as WEG posters and every souvenir we could get, and of course I still have them all.

Haha, my dad has every newspaper from Sydney and Melbourne from the week after and before the GF, the Record from the Grandfinal, a WEG and various other print souvenirs in vacum bags in a cupboard in our house.

 

[MF]

All I remember is hugging random drunk people next to me when Leo took that mark.

Sounds similar to my experience. My mum and the old man were sitting in the AFL members section and my younger brother and I were in standing room (we upgraded ourselves to standing room in the AFL members section shortly after half time). It was only us and two other swans supporters we had never met before (both alone) standing near by. When the siren went all four of us had a group hug and started jumping up and down. We then ran down to the fence to watch the awards ceremony and also got to high five Matthews, Crouch and Ablett while they did the lap of honor. It was just such an amazing experience and something that I'll cherish forever.