On September 24, 2005, the Sydney Swans ended a 72-year premiership drought when they defeated the West Coast Eagles in four-point thriller.

The premiership holds special place in supporters’ heart’s and perhaps more so for the staff, and future staff, of the club.

Below we hear from five current staff members who were watching from home, the coaches’ box and in the stands of the MCG.

Anthony Cahill, Head of Academy Operations (formerly Football Technology & Analysis Manager, 2005)

I was in the coaches’ box. We were all focussed on supporting the coaching group with live game analysis to the final siren. Naturally, it was very intense.

It was very special celebrating in the coaches’ box with the coaches, then running down through the ecstatic crowd and joining the players in the middle of the MCG.

Because we had access to time remaining in the game in the coaches’ box (not available those days on live TV), I knew there were seconds remaining when Dean Cox launched the final kick inside 50. So, when Leo Barry took that incredible mark and the siren sounded soon after, the emotion, relief and euphoria was as good as it gets.

Anita Murphy, Manager – Customer Operations

I was sitting on the couch in my family home in Goulburn watching the Grand Final with my Mum, Dad and sister. I remember being so nervous. I had butterflies, wishing for the final siren to sound when we were ahead.

The following week my sister and I booked tickets to the Sydney Swans Club Champion Dinner that was held in Sydney. We got our train tickets and accommodation sorted and headed to Sydney for the Grand Final Parade along George Street before the dinner. I remember getting photos with Brett Kirk and Michael O’Loughlin as well as Kenny Williams that night.

Little did I know that seven years later I would be part of the parade again heading down George St celebrating the 2012 AFL Grand Final as a staff member.

Natalie Fagg, Executive General Manager – Customer (formerly Senior Manager – Membership & CRM, 2005)

I was at the MCG.

The entire final quarter was so intense. It was both impossible to look at the game and impossible to look away.  When the final siren went, which I couldn’t hear, I just relied on seeing Tadhg jumping on Leo’s back – it was joy, relief and emotion. It had been a big September.

We had a big event to put on that evening, so we all pitched in and then once we could “clock off”, we just kept going all night. All staff then worked the next day at the welcome home event at the SCG, so we joined the fans flying home to Sydney on the early flights out of Melbourne.

The celebrations then continued into the next week with a ticker tape parade through the city, the Club Champion Dinner and somewhere in between a water taxi ride to see Sydney Swans flag flying high on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

I think I finally got some sleep in October.

I think you always remember the people you were there with. My sister was sitting next to me and around us we had a great group of club staff that had worked tirelessly all year to support our team, our members and fans. I remember celebrating in the grandstand, singing the song over and over and I remember later that night holding the cup for the first time. It was the best.

Zoe Vicic, Head of Football Analytics

I was at the MCG. Mum picked us up from school two days before and we drove down to Melbourne, arriving on Grand Final morning. We popped by Nana’s to grab some sandwiches and then by the hardware store to buy a couple of buckets – we had standing room only tickets and my brother and I were only 10 years old.

I remember elation and excitement – the atmosphere was electric.

I remember not hearing the siren, it was that loud. I vividly recall seeing Tadgh Kennelly jump on Leo Barry and feeling confused. I didn’t understand what was going on. Next minute, Mum is hugging us and everyone is going wild and I realised the siren had gone.

We couldn’t sleep that night, so we watched the replay.

Amanda Turner, Executive General Manager – AFLW (Acting) (formerly Events Executive, 2005)

I was at the MCG sitting next to Dad in a bay with all the Swans staff.  I remember excitement and then stress!

We couldn’t hear the siren where we were sitting at the end of the game, so it was only when the players started jumping on each other did we realise it was over, and we won.

As I recall it, we also got a call from the function centre we were hosting the Grand Final dinner that night during the first quarter to tell us they didn’t order the chicken for 1,500 guests.  That created a different layer of stress early in the game for those in the events team, but they must have found a lot of chooks somewhere as it was all a success.

We worked the Grand Final dinner through to about midnight. Then the staff party continued into the wee hours, before a 6am flight back to Sydney to prep the SCG for the welcome home event. It was a long few days but so fun to be a part of it.

On the Monday, we were all at the yacht club in Rushcutters Bay and jumped in water taxis to get a view of the Swans flag on the Harbour Bridge.  What a sight.

I’ll always remember the sheer joy shown by so many people of all ages. I was chatting to one member at the dinner who had been at the 1933 Grand Final, he rode his bike from the Riverina to Melbourne to see South Melbourne win and he was at the MCG 72 years later to see the Sydney Swans win with his son. I don’t think I have ever seen someone look so happy.