National draft and trade period.
Probably a few parents and some girlfriends do it as well then...
Have You Ever Switched Teams?
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Probably a few parents and some girlfriends do it as well then...
Dad: You can follow whatever team you like, but if you want to eat food in this house you have to barrack for Richmond.Almost as bad as parents who let their kids "pick their own team".
- Dec 2, 2014
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Work with a guy who was a saints fan through and through, went through a pretty rough divorce and lost touch with footy for a couple years, his new partner is a Blues member, he'd go with her to the footy and started to enjoy the game again, he started to watch the saints again but found himself enjoying Carlton more, he's now a Carlton fan.
- Apr 17, 2021
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Lovely story.. and thanks for proudly showing the badge that you also support the Crows
- Feb 21, 2006
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I had a similar experience although mine was "if you want to sleep inside you have to barrack for Melbourne" - a tradition I've passed on to my kids
- Feb 21, 2006
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My cousin is a Richmond supporter but barracked for the Hawks for a few years when we were kids. I remember him coming over at half time of the 1988 GF and giving me s**t! Now I still give him s**t about those years he turned his back on the yellow and black and we're in our 40s now haha. I swear he also went for the Bombers for a year or so (he was clearly a bandwagoner) but I was too young to remember it clearly and he denies it to this day.
- Feb 21, 2006
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Pretty sure Dion Prestia's parents are still MFC coterie members.
Of course parents/friends/relos will support their kids/mates if they get drafted but wouldn't surprise if many changed back once their kids moved or careers were over.
- Jul 28, 2012
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I'm sure if you had a family member get drafted to a club you never supported you would probably switch over, players are the same, they grow up barracking for a team and next thing you know they are drafted by Collingwood
. Once the trauma of that sinks in and a series of counseling is arranged they should be okay and 100% allegiance is given.
When i was 7.
My parents took me down the hawks route (despite being Pies and Tigers fans). i think a lot of it had to do with the icons at the time being the likes of Platten, Dippa, Dunstall, etc.
They're the players i remember. Ablett too, but i guess the cats weren't winning so......
It was leading into the 1990 GF that my cousin got into me (she's since switched to the blues for the interest she has in footy...follows the wag insta's more), and i made the choice that the Dons were my team.
So i've seen 2x GF's losses ('90 & '01), 2x wins ('93 & '00) and a whole lotta nothing since
My parents took me down the hawks route (despite being Pies and Tigers fans). i think a lot of it had to do with the icons at the time being the likes of Platten, Dippa, Dunstall, etc.
They're the players i remember. Ablett too, but i guess the cats weren't winning so......
It was leading into the 1990 GF that my cousin got into me (she's since switched to the blues for the interest she has in footy...follows the wag insta's more), and i made the choice that the Dons were my team.
So i've seen 2x GF's losses ('90 & '01), 2x wins ('93 & '00) and a whole lotta nothing since
hahah
my dad was "no son of mine is going through the misery i've been through following those useless pricks"
That panned out well in the long run
Muddiemoose
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- Aug 24, 2017
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When Fremantle joined the comp I went for them for about 2 weeks because the jumper was colourful like lollies
peterbuch74
Norm Smith Medallist
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Never considered it...
I've known 4 people who have though.
Firstly, my wife used to support Carlton... and did so up until our kids started following Tiges, then she jumped on board with us
Knew a fella in the Richmond Cheer Squad in the early 90s who jumped ship to Geelong when he moved there for work
And had two old high school mates in the late 80s who switched up teams. One Jumped from Collingwood to West Coast when they joined for no real reason, and then another who supported Fitzroy who jumped onto the Pies and bought all the merch off the kid who turned to the Eagles lol
I've known 4 people who have though.
Firstly, my wife used to support Carlton... and did so up until our kids started following Tiges, then she jumped on board with us
Knew a fella in the Richmond Cheer Squad in the early 90s who jumped ship to Geelong when he moved there for work
And had two old high school mates in the late 80s who switched up teams. One Jumped from Collingwood to West Coast when they joined for no real reason, and then another who supported Fitzroy who jumped onto the Pies and bought all the merch off the kid who turned to the Eagles lol
Freddy Swift
All Australian
Why, did your WAFL & SANFL teams no longer exist? Or do you still follow them but also follow AFL sides? You could have chosen to keep following your state leagues only couldn’t you?
I have supported Richmond for close on 60 years as did my dad and granddad before me and I lived in the suburb all my life until I got married. Couldn’t afford to live there now which amuses me.
I would never change sides even if the Tigers went to a different league because I support Richmond Football Club not the AFL. If RFC ceased to exist I would not follow anyone.
Fans mostly follow the game at the highest level.
When Subi lost 8 of their best players to the Eagles, who also played at Subi Oval, our 1986 premiership team was still playing at Subi, just some with the Eagles.
1987 was indeed confusing for loyalty that comes from the heart.
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Almost all of us still follow our SANFL team as well as our AFL team. My team Norwood (the Redlegs) defeated Carlton in 1976 and Hawthorn in the preseason GF in 1979… The Redlegs dual premiership winning coach (and AFL Hall Of Famer), the late Bob Hammond, went on to be Chairman of the Adelaide Football Club. In fact, Hammond was Captain of the North Adelaide Roosters when they beat Carlton for the 1972 Champions Of Australia Trophy..
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Freddy Swift
All Australian
Well that’s what I’m getting at. Why do you have to follow at the highest level? Do you follow the team/club or the league they are in?
If Richmond were for some reason no longer in the AFL and went to some other league I would follow them there. I would not change to another side who were still in the AFL.
I can understand how it’s a bit different for non-vic fans and how loyalties would have been tested when the AFL began.
Freddy Swift
All Australian
That’s a great little patch and emblem there.
Yep.
Old man is a big Dogs fan.
Big Coterie figure/sponsor of the club in 80's, he employed around 15-20 players at one point.
Still remember being dragged to the Western Oval in the mid-late 80's.
Grandfather was a big North fan, he also knew the head trainer of the club at the time.
Took me to North training as a 5 year old during school holidays (unbeknown to my Dad), got me in the rooms for training and I hung with the players for 3-4 hours, that was that....
Old man asked me a few weeks later who I wanted to support, I told him North. His response was "fine..."
He cut all coetrie/sponsorship support at the end of that season, started supporting local football exclusively and didn't attend another Footscray game until the 2016 Grand Final (25-30 years), where he was a guest of the club in the rooms....
Old man is a big Dogs fan.
Big Coterie figure/sponsor of the club in 80's, he employed around 15-20 players at one point.
Still remember being dragged to the Western Oval in the mid-late 80's.
Grandfather was a big North fan, he also knew the head trainer of the club at the time.
Took me to North training as a 5 year old during school holidays (unbeknown to my Dad), got me in the rooms for training and I hung with the players for 3-4 hours, that was that....
Old man asked me a few weeks later who I wanted to support, I told him North. His response was "fine..."
He cut all coetrie/sponsorship support at the end of that season, started supporting local football exclusively and didn't attend another Footscray game until the 2016 Grand Final (25-30 years), where he was a guest of the club in the rooms....
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At that point (the end of 86) I was living back in WA after having spent the past 10 years in Adelaide (joined Port), Melbourne ( joined Carlton) & Brisbane (Western Suburbs ? Member). I followed footy wherever I went.
I saw my first flag at Subi in the 70s & they remain my 'true love' & as much as I enjoyed the historic 92 flag of the Eagles, my experience with Subi remains with me today. I live in Melbourne these days, my kids are Victorians despite not being born here, & going to see Subi is not realistic, but its where my heart is.
I follow the Subi guys wherever they are drafted to.
Following the Eagles came easily even though I followed the Blues in the VFL.
Hope I answered your question.
Freofalcon
Born from an egg on a mountain top
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Still follow West Perth closely and still watch our grand final win from last year on a regular basis.
As other posts I’ve seen here, I had no choice but to follow West Perth. My mother bought me a West Perth jumper to wear to training when I was a junior and took us to all the games. She’d been watching them since the 50’s.
In regards to my VFL team, I followed Hawthorn as my junior side was the Noranda Hawks and the first VFL game I watched was the 83 GF. Never got into the Eagles and we were still attending the WAFL regularly.
Lost a bit of interest in the VFL/AFL until the Docker entered the Competition. I jumped on because of the WA connection and underdog status.
To be honest, I’d probably get more enjoyment from a West Perth premiership than a Dockers one.
- Sep 3, 2019
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Changed from Hawthorn to Collingwood when i was 6. Saved a fortune on memorabilia
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- Jul 11, 2012
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Switching teams is worse than treason. Never ever ever. Having said that if I followed a team like St.kilda I would have probably found a new sport like A-league or some random baseball league, far too much emotional damage.
Freofalcon
Born from an egg on a mountain top
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That 86 Subi side was full of Stars.
Smashed St Kilda in a pre season game, dominated the WAFL that year and probably should have beaten the Hawks in that end of season game. Went down by two points after being 4 goals up at one point.
