SWANS ETCH THEIR PLACE IN SYDNEY

By Greg Tourelle of NZPA

Sydney, Sept 30 NZPA - Sydney is a town in apparent identity crisis over its sport.

It's hard to believe that on the eve of rugby league's grand final weekend, thousands have lined central Sin City to cheer for an Australian Football League (AFL) team. (That's Aussie Rules for New Zealanders, though a term hardly ever used this side of the ditch).

The Sydney Swans' triumph over the West Coast Eagles in Saturday's AFL final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was magical.

In Sydney, masses invaded pubs to watch the final. A huge screen out the back of Randwick racecourse distracted race fans from the nags.

And when Leo Barry soared above an eight-man pack moments from full-time to take a mark and end the Eagles' hopes of victory, the roar from the fans was greater than any decibel reading for goals kicked in the match.

Four million people watched the victory on television.

Sydneysiders still don't know a full forward from a ruckman and are bewildered as to why there are two sets of goalposts at each end of the field, but they are willing embrace winners.

Life will return to normal on Sunday. Rugby league is king in Sydney, but the Swans have shown, after 23 years of struggle, that there is a place in Sydney's sporting landscape for them.

And rugby union will have to polish its boots in the challenge for crowd and sponsorships.

The Swans have had their own identity crisis. They were originally the South Melbourne Bloods -- in Melbourne their fans yell the earthy "Carn The Bloods" while in Sydney it is the more twee "Go The Swannies".

About the time they won their last Victorian Football League premiership in 1933, their named changed to the Swans. Some have attributed the 72-year gap in championship wins to the switch to the more effeminate name.

The Swans' change of venue to Sydney in 1982 was done to attract new fans to the game, as the team faced extinction in South Melbourne.

But in targeting the upper classes, the Swans were derided by the populous masses, particularly out west where league was untouchable. Their image wasn't helped by Dr Geoffrey Edelsten, who bought the club in 1985, travelling in a pink helicopter.

The chardonnay image was toned down when tough, rough Tony Lockett arrived at the club, but still getting crowds was a problem.

The Swans made the 1996 grand final but lost to North Melbourne and it has taken one of their former stars, Paul Roos, this year to guide them into the final series and ultimate victory.

They may be Swans in name, but there is a toughness about the players. Leo Barry, who took the match-saving mark, played with a triple fracture of the cheekbone suffered three matches before.

He was one of many to play with pain-killing injections, one for as long as 16 weeks.

Despite their success, the aerial ballet style has failed to sway some diehards in Sydney.

Daily Telegraph columnist Mike Gibson lamented the bumbling that took place in the final.

"As far as skills were concerned, as far as showcasing the game, Saturday afternoon at the MCG was a mishmash of missed goals, muffed marks and football that was scrappy at best," he wrote.

"It was an arm-wrestle with scratches. It was like two guys chewing on each other's ears. It was like watching a couple of blue heelers fighting over a bone."

As a counter, Gibson praised the silky skills of the Wests Tigers, who play the North Queensland Cowboys in the league final on Sunday.

"Hand speed, fancy footwork and the ability to get rid of the ball are the dominant factors.

He said comparing AFL to rugby league was like comparing Edna Everage to Elle Macpherson. "Or frankfurters to filet mignon."

There is a joke about the Swans on the convictcreations website, but be warned, it is very Australian.

On a crowded train going to the SCG, a fan decked out in red and white colours proudly had a large Swan sitting on his lap. Sitting directly opposite, at face level with the Swan, was an old codger in red and black colours (Essendon).

"They won't let you take a pig into the SCG you know," he said loudly.

"It's not a pig, it's a Swan, ya dickhead" said the fan in the red and white colours.

"I wasn't talking to you," replied the old codger.