Changing teams you support

[Prestigerrycomo]

Isn't there a bit of a Freo/West Coast thing, where West Coast supporters can't get memberships (and therefore seats), so they sign up as Dockers members, yet it's still implicitly known that they are actually Eagles fans? I know a family who has done this and have heard that it's widespread (I was told the term is 'Freagles'), but it doesn't seem that way this year. The Dockers home crowd is rabid. Maybe a few have switched sides?

If I was new arrival to WA and didn't have a club I'd choose the Dockers. Despite their lack of sucess compared to the Eagles, they at least feel like they have some soul and passion. West Coast would be the most banal team in the AFL.

 

[Gak Attack]

You cant change clubs. Stuff circumstances (other than folding...), if you are a real supporter, you always will be

Should Tassie get a side, I will be a member, not a supporter

Totally agree with you there. If we do get a team I will rock up to near every home game and cheer on Tassie... except for when the Tigers come to town

 

[mjd75]

Was a Blues supporter before I even knew I was alive. Born into it.

Moved to WA which makes it hard to support anyone else apart from Eagles or Dockers.

Have a couple of kids now and it's a constant struggle to keep them as Blues supporters. AFL day at school is very hard on the poor things but off they trot in their Carlton jumpers.

I keep telling them to stick with the one team but In feel im about one WA premiership away from them swapping teams.

Family member changed team (Blues to Eagles) when they moved interstate because "it is to hard to support Melbourne clubs in WA".

Year after "the swap" we got Juddy, Cuz got suspended, Kerr started feeling his hammy and coxy had no one to tap it to. Anyway were playing finals and they are playing for the wooden spoon .

 

[swans16]

Im a Swans supporter living in western sydney area...
Sydney Swans or Western Sydney?

 

[carlton09]

1998-1999, I was an Essendon supporter. My best friend in grade 3 was a Carlton supporter and was trying to convince me to barrack for the Blues. The Bombers were top of the ladder that season and lost to Carlton in the PF. I then changed to Carlton. (note: Essendon went on to win the flag the year after)

 

[BomberFletch31]

Here are the acceptable reasons to change allegiances:

1. You're from a footy state/city, which didn't have a team when you started following footy, so you just picked a random team. Your state/city gets an AFL licence, you're well within your rights to switch. This will be a big one for Tassie supporters over the next ten years.

2. Your club goes out of existence/merges/relocates. I know Fitzroy supporters who followed them to Brisbane, others who picked another Melbourne-based club to support and more who just stopped caring about the AFL altogether. It's up to you in that situation.

3. You get drafted by a different AFL club to the one you supported.

4. You have an immediate family member who plays for an AFL club.

I kind of agree with Number 1. If you picked a "random" team and were never really that passionate in the first place, fine. Number 2 is also ok. But not number 3 or 4.

I don't play footy, but if I did, I'd still support the team I've always supported regardless of which team I happen to pay for. The way I look at it is this: playing footy is a job. I get paid by the footy club I'm playing for to play footy, and I'd do the job to the best of my abilities at all times, even if I were playing against the team I support. But when I'm off-duty I'd still be supporting my team come thick or thin. And I'd hope that one day I get traded to the team I support, so playing footy then becomes more than just a job but also a passion.

Number 4 doesn't wash with me either. If I had a son who played footy at AFL level for another team I'd watch his games and I'd cheer for him. But I'd still be red and black at heart. Nothing short of the Bombers folding would make me change teams.

 

[wedgetail]

Any Fremantle fan over the age of 35 is the dictionary definition of a footy turncoat.

Perhaps an exception for hardcore 'Fremantle types' who live south of the river and supported Easts / Souths as kids. Although plenty of freo people still actively support WC... and they all did in the early 90s when WCE was dominating with lots of freo types - jako, suma, woosha, matera, mainy, waterman.

In short - all Freo fans over 35 have changed teams, only some of them have acceptable reason. The rest arent missed and Freo are welcome to them... until the next shiny thing comes along.

 

[my name was taken]

Switched when I was in yr 4, 5 (can't really remember) which was mid 90's from eagles, I never really supported them though, don't think I knew much what was going on on field and was more of a 'well my friends do' thing. I enjoyed watching the saints and for some reason hated the eagles once I started thinking for myself. Harvey was like a god to watch, especially at that age with opponents just melting around him. Nobody I knew supported the saints. Moved to WA when little from Vic, so others in family support other Vic teams.

 

[ash_1050]

To quote the late, great Eddie Thompson "You can change your wife, your house, your car, but you can never change your team. ... They are the one true constant"

 

[TIME IS NOW]

Technically i have changed teams 3 times.

I followed Richmond until WCE entered a side. I then followed WCE.

In 2000 i then decided to switch and go to Fremantle. The reason simple a very good mate of mine got picked up. Ended up retiring this year but i wont jump back to WCE.

For about 1 month i was one of those annoying "I support WA football" knobs. Obviously that cant work out in a 2 team town. So dropped WCE and followed Freo exclusively.

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

I was around 6 and my godmother bought me an Adelaide Crows tracksuit pants. I didn't like it, I started to cry and I ran away. She told me she bought it for me because Adelaide is the best team and I should go for them.

It doesn't work that way.

She began to take me to matches, and it didn't work, I didn't follow any team.

Then we went to Richmond Vs. Carlton in 1998, that was my first Richmond match. We won by 62 points 132-70. Richo kicked 5 and Justin Plapp did too, lmao!!

Anyway, THAT was the match that got me. Big Tiger banners, that vibrant yellow and black colour mix and the ****ing passion our supporters breath and last but not least...that theme song, oh boy I loved it. I sang it 100 times on the way home!

Do not understand how anyone can go for any other team...

 

[SouthSwans]

I was a Carlton supporter until I was about 6 or 7 (1997ish).

I'm extremely happy with the switch as we've only gone up since then and they've only gone down.

 

[Perry Pie]

Any Fremantle fan over the age of 35 is the dictionary definition of a footy turncoat.

That's not fair. I believe that it was the duty of E & S freo fans to abandon WC and Port fans to abandon the crows when the new teams were created.
WC had a monopoly on all footy fans in WA when the eagles were created -south & east freo fans had no choice but to support the eagles at that time. I believe that all original East & South Freemantle fans had the right to switch from WC to Freo when the dockers started up. The same applies in Adelaide where any original Port fans had the right to abandon the crows when port joined the comp.

 

[clobba]

Grew up in Albury, wasnt really interested in footy. My best mate in kindergarten went for St Kilda so I decided to follow them. Then, Plugger moves to Sydney, turns out my mate is a bigger fan of Plugger than he is St Kilda so he switches. For some reason, I dont like the idea of switching as well and following Sydney and I also dont like the idea of staying on with the Saints without my best mate.

So I decided to pick a new team. I remember it was a close toss-up between Melbourne and North Melbourne. Pretty sure I was swayed by the great man in 18.


Thank christ for that. Almost ended up a St Kilda, Sydney or Melbourne supporter. Was a close-run thing.

****! thank god you ended up with a power house team with no chance of disapearing then

 

[clobba]

totally agree!!!!!!!!!!! My husband goes for catters and our kids are split, it makes the games more enjoyable with a bit of family betting going on.

NO WAY! when I grew up all the boys were Saints fans and the women hawks, horrible situation but luckily my wife grew up in Geelong so she cant stand the Cats either and we have 3 more Sainters on the books...now once the Cats get derigistered for being arrogant **** sucking twats all will be well in the world.

 

[Damon_3388]

I was a bit of an Adelaide supporter (more of a Tony Modra fan than anything else) when I first started watching footy around 1993/1994 (now the Crows are my most disliked team). Then was heavily on the Richmond bandwagon in 1995/1996, and guys like Matthew Richardson, Nick Daffy and Mark Merenda were my favourite players. Began supporting Collingwood in 1997 (jumped on just in time for one of the lowest points in the club's history), mainly because of my parents (both Collingwood supporters), and have followed them ever since.

Would have been somewhat interesting if I'd stuck with Richmond...

 

[Daics35Marvel]

In 2000 i then decided to switch and go to Fremantle. The reason simple a very good mate of mine got picked up. Ended up retiring this year but i wont jump back to WCE.

His name wouldn't be Paul Haselby by any chance?

 

[dread and might]

I met a bloke who played for coburg a few years back. As a result of this he had "developed a soft spot" for Richmond.

Was a staunch Hawks supporter however.

That's commitment!

 

[roosRool]

As I explained to a recent immigrant last week, changing teams is un-Australian. You can change your wife but not your footy team.

Did he say "fair dinkum?" Wise words. A very aussie introduction to a totally aussie sport. Well done

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I kind of agree with Number 1. If you picked a "random" team and were never really that passionate in the first place, fine. Number 2 is also ok. But not number 3 or 4.

I don't play footy, but if I did, I'd still support the team I've always supported regardless of which team I happen to pay for. The way I look at it is this: playing footy is a job. I get paid by the footy club I'm playing for to play footy, and I'd do the job to the best of my abilities at all times, even if I were playing against the team I support. But when I'm off-duty I'd still be supporting my team come thick or thin. And I'd hope that one day I get traded to the team I support, so playing footy then becomes more than just a job but also a passion.

Number 4 doesn't wash with me either. If I had a son who played footy at AFL level for another team I'd watch his games and I'd cheer for him. But I'd still be red and black at heart. Nothing short of the Bombers folding would make me change teams.

I guarantee you that anyone who got drafted by a club at 18, spent a few years on the list and cracked it for some senior games will support that club for life, unless they hold some bitterness about the way they exited the club. It's a huge thing to get drafted, will probably be one of the top five moments of a person's life. You might hold a soft spot for your childhood club, but as soon as you get drafted, that's your team forever.

Again, I don't know if I'd change sides if I had a son who played for, say the Bulldogs. But I reckon it would be completely understandable if someone did, even changing back as soon as the son's career at the Dogs was over would be ok by me. Probably wouldn't happen so much with the die-hard Big Footy types, but for a more passive supporter who only watches their team a handful of times on TV a year, why wouldn't you?

 

[iloveleigh]

Yep, changing teams to jump on a bandwagon is totally fine .

I'm amazed at how many blokes (with just a fleeting interest in footy, but still...) get married and then switch to their wife's team!!! I remember watching the 1995 AFL grand final and my next door neighbour (Carlton supporter) giving me hell the whole way through. A decade later, he gets married...now he's a Collingwood supporter. Seriously...

Here are the acceptable reasons to change allegiances:

1. You're from a footy state/city, which didn't have a team when you started following footy, so you just picked a random team. Your state/city gets an AFL licence, you're well within your rights to switch. This will be a big one for Tassie supporters over the next ten years.

2. Your club goes out of existence/merges/relocates. I know Fitzroy supporters who followed them to Brisbane, others who picked another Melbourne-based club to support and more who just stopped caring about the AFL altogether. It's up to you in that situation.

3. You get drafted by a different AFL club to the one you supported.

4. You have an immediate family member who plays for an AFL club.

My brother is looking to get drafted in the next couple of years and asked me if he did get drafted, would i barrack for his team.
I replied with a good old helllllllllll no.
I would never change from the Saints, never.

 

[Valve Bounce]

Just thought I would start a thread for people to share their reasons behind changing teams you support. Whether it be because a team gained an AFL licence in your area, your old team folded or whether you jumped on a bandwagon.

I changed teams when I was 11. I barracked for Fitzroy (thanks to my mother) before switching to the Pies. Reason being my Grade 6 teacher was a former Collingwood trainer, and my dad's friend was the chief statistician for the Pies. As a result I managed to get into the rooms after a couple of games and was in awe. Conveniently it was 1989 so I didn't have to wait very long for a premiership (unlike most Pies supporters!).

Doesn't make my desperation to see another one any less than anyone else though!

Feel free to share your stories. You won't be judged. Not by me anyway.

You are forgiven!! Fr Bob is a Collingwood fan, so you are in very good company.

 

[Kram]

Any Fremantle fan over the age of 35 is the dictionary definition of a footy turncoat.

Perhaps an exception for hardcore 'Fremantle types' who live south of the river and supported Easts / Souths as kids. Although plenty of freo people still actively support WC... and they all did in the early 90s when WCE was dominating with lots of freo types - jako, suma, woosha, matera, mainy, waterman.

In short - all Freo fans over 35 have changed teams, only some of them have acceptable reason. The rest arent missed and Freo are welcome to them... until the next shiny thing comes along.

lmao.

 

[Zeke]

I guarantee you that anyone who got drafted by a club at 18, spent a few years on the list and cracked it for some senior games will support that club for life

Kouta and Christou used to get runners out during games to give them score updates on Collingwood games, such was their passion for the Magpies.

Massive Collingwood fans.

 

[THRILLHO]

****! thank god you ended up with a power house team with no chance of disapearing then

I've seen a premiership win.