About Us
Miss Australia 2008, Laura Dundovic, wears the Vietnam Swans jumper in Saigon, 21 June 2008
The Reunification Express – the Vietnam Swans
2007 will be remembered as a big year for Australian Rules Football in Vietnam. It’s the year that both Hanoi and Saigon combined to form Vietnam’s first ever National Footy team, the Vietnam Swans.
On 14 July 2007, the Vietnam Swans debuted at the 8th Annual Asian Championships held in Bangkok. While we didn’t win the Championship – which boasted teams from the United Arab Emirates, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Jakarta and Bali – we did have 44 tourers from Hanoi, Saigon, Quang Ngai, Tianjin, Laos, Cambodia, Vientiane, Singapore, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne!
To see a 1 min 48sec promo video of the former Hanoi Swans (now Vietnam Swans) that has been professionally cut, click here to watch it on You Tube.
Want to play some Aussie Rules?
The good news is that footy is up and running in both Hanoi and Saigon. The other good news is that, given we’re trying to play footy in a sea of soccer, we are genuinely welcoming of anyone who wants to have a crack at it. So, whether you’re from Finland, Vietnam, Holland, America or anywhere else, you will be welcomed with the footy.
Training is much more about having good fun, doing some ball work, having a bit of a run around and meeting new people rather than preparing for the Olympics (or an AFL Grand Final).
2010 Training
Click here for the latest details re training.
Apart from the Asian Champs, do you play anyone else?
Have we got a smorgasboard of confirmed events and matches coming up in 2010!
Click here for the latest details.
Give me some more background
In 1991, Hanoi had the Hanoi Hawks but then things went quiet to the point that they became extinct. They were reborn in 2003 as the Hanoi Swans with a double header against the Thailand Tigers and Hong Kong Dragons. The Swans have battled away diligently since with matches against Malaysia, Jakarta and Thailand but the numbers have remained a continuing battle.
The Saigon Saints once upon a time used to play football as well. However things also went quiet with them to the point that they nearly became extinct. They were survived by hosting the annual Saigon Saints AFL Grand Final Brunch which just continues to grow in popularity each year.
The way forward was to have a combined team from both Hanoi and Saigon. So, in September 2006 and April 2007, Hanoi traveled to Saigon to try and stir up some interest… and, now the history books show that the Vietnam Swans debuted at the Asian Champs on 14 July 2007 in Bangkok.
See the attached Swans and Player Profiles for more detail. It was prepared for the Asian Champs.
Sponsors of the Vietnam Swans
Ray Windlow said
Hi Guys
Congratulations on flying the “footy flag” overseas.
Last year I spent 2 weeks in Hanoi attending Nobai Airport each day for work and returning to the hotel each evening with not much to do except fall in love with the local “PHO” served with crusty bread rolls. I managed a side trip out to Chi Linh Star Golf for a quick round where to my amazement, the local pro introduced himself afterwards and had served his apprenticeship not 3 kms from my front door (at that time) in Melbourne.
Had I know you guys were even there I would have endeavoured to come down and watch a game and even offered my services on the weekend as a visiting “ex-VAFA Club 18 Umpire”. YES – A travelling white maggot” who if not for shonky knees would still be blowing his whistle on Saturday afternoons around the grounds of Melbourne.
The AFL should wake up and smell the roses, no-one person, team or body is bigger than this greatest of games which saw it’s beginnings in the paddocks around Melbourne and despite the influx of soccer post world cup successes, is still first and foremost the best game in town.
If I ever make the trip back again I will be certain to get in touch with you guys and catch up with your training, matches or post game celebrations
Best Regards
Ray Windlow
Greenvale Vic 3059
hanoiswans said
Ray, we need your white maggot credentials and a good set of knees to help us out at the Asian Championships next month in Bangkok!
Glad you liked the Pho in Hanoi. It can be pretty good.
I guess the pro you met out at Chi Linh was Lars Holden. He’s a top bloke and he’s been a very generous supporter of the Swans at our Grand Final functions.
Thanks for your best wishes and next time you come back – whether that’s in Hanoi or Saigon, do look us up. Come out for a training session and have a beer afterwards. Or, if you go to another country, look up their local footy team because, despite what “everyone” seems to think back in Australia, footy is very much alive overseas (see http://www.worldfootynews.com).
Spread the word and keep an eye out for the AFL’s Footy Record in the lead up to the Asian Champs on 14 July. After initially claiming that the Champs were outside the “scope” of the Footy Record, they actually reconsidered. So we are getting some publicity (and the Geelong Advertiser wanted to write a story).
Thanks again for your support and the Vietnam Swans hope to see you over here again some day.
Regards
Phil Johns
President
Vietnam Swans
Daniel Tran said
i would be interested to play football over in Vietnam, im a west coast eagles supporter, im vietnamese and i love footy
Vietnam Swans said
Even though you’re a West Coast supporter, you are Vietnamese and you love footy. Therefore, there’s a good chance you may become a superstar of the Swans marketing department!
Tell us when you get here and we’ll even pick you up for your first training session.
The Swannies
Julia Waugh said
Hi,
I found the work on your site http://vietnamswans.com really mesmerizing. I have a stunning business offer for you. I would like to purchase text-links on your site.
Let me know pronto if you would like to hear more on this.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Cheers,
Julia Waugh,
Andrew Nielsen said
Swannies
We apply team and individual photos, logos and text to sports balls including AFL balls. They mane great trophies and memorabilia of special events and tours. They also make great thank you gifts for sponsors coaches and players. Have a look at our website and tell us what you think. If we can help let us know. http://www.memoraballimages.com.au
Andrew
Hien Dao said
Hi Phil,
Great to hear something about footy again as I miss it so much since I left Melbourne for Hanoi a couple of months ago, after spending 5 years studying and working in Oz. Although here in Hanoi I can watch footy on the Australian channel quite often, I just can’t have the atmostphere of having some 70,000 fans screaming at the MCG. Here in VN, people are crazy about soccer (they call it football though), but know nothing about footy. I was a Western Bulldog fan, anyway. I may come to the training stadium in Hanoi one day.
Cheers,
Hien.
Jo said
Great weekend of footy in Hanoi over the weekend. Good to meet the players from the south and their partners over the two days. Looking forward to the next game and hopefully a win.
Cheers
Jo
Henry Goldstein said
G’day Fellas,
Great to see the club is goin’ so well; I had a ball at the Tri-nations last November! Thanks again to Mick, Daryl and the crew for having my out there.
Cheers,
Henry
Nico said
Hello, i’m Nico, the french guy playing with swans from april to july, i hope you remember me. Thanks to have made me discover football, i’m now playing football in Paris, and i had a few trainings with Peter(2 swans playing in Paris, how strange!!!).
Next saturday, i’ll play footy european championship, and of course i’ll think about you.
Thank you for all, and see you when i come back in Hanoi…
Cheers
Nico
Big Bad JOE said
Nico,
We need your speed and stamina!
When you coming back?
Nico said
Hi, I’ll be in Hanoi for the Tet, from 10th to 18th february i think, I’d like to know if you’re still training in Hoang cau stadium, and which day and what time. Hope to see you for a few kicks…
Vietnam Swans said
Hi Nico
Welcome back to Vietnam!
Being Tet, you will be out of luck for some footy but we’ll try to find someone who is still in town when you are here.
All good!
Fabbo
samuel said
What are the requirement to play in your club? I’m Nigerian based footballer and love to play in your club in vietnam. my phone No: +2348033555727, samuelasouman@yahoo.com.
Maree said
Hi I will be in Vietnam from 2/4/9 to 18/4/09 and am really interested in catching a telecast of any afl games. Where do I go in Hanoi. Hoi An and Saigon? Also do the Vietnam teams play in Hanoi or HCMC during this time frame.
Esther Lloyd-Taylor said
Hi there,
Would the Vietnam Swans be interested in playing a charity match in Darwin in the Dry Season 2010? May – October.
Vietnam Swans said
Hi Esther
With direct flights from HCMC to Darwin with our sponsoring airline, Jetstar, it is a possibility. Could you please provide more details about the proposed match, other teams etc.
Regards
Phil Johns
National President
Vietnam Swans
vietnamswans@gmail.com
Esther Lloyd-Taylor said
Thank you for your prompt reply Phil,
When would the Swans be free to play in Darwin.. they could take in a spot of Barramundi fishing while they are here..
Look forward to continued planning,
Kind regards,
Esther.
Tim O'Shannessy said
Good to see you guys had a win and are well organised and going strongly as a club.
I am in Azerbaijan for 6 months work and there is no “Footy” on the sastelite TV like in SE Asia. What a pain.
Regards, Tim O’Shannessy. (Training coach one hot Saturday November afternoon 2009)
catherine said
Hey I’m an aussie moving to Cambodia next week for a job. I’ll likely be there for at least a year. I’m interested in getting involved in footy in Cambodia – I’m based in Phnom Penh – can you help?
Cheers
Catherine
Vietnam Swans said
Hi Catherine.
Murray Heath is the Cambodian Cobras President and he can be contacted at murray@harleycambodia.com
Regards
Phil Johns, National President, Vietnam Swans
Kerryn said
Hi
I’m going to be in Hanoi on Friday 14 May and was wondering if anyone could tell me some places that will be showing the Pies v’s Dockers match. After 15 years of supporting the Dockers they are finally having a season that is worth watching and I haven’t been in Australia for any of it.
Cheers,
Kerryn
Tim said
How’s it going?
I’m moving to Vietnam in early November for 1 year and I’d love to join up…
I’m from a gaelic football background but I played a bit of footy when I was living in Dublin.
Regards,
Tim
Vietnam Swans said
Hi Tim
Absolutely awesome to have you join the Vietnam Swans. We’ll be extremely pleased to welcome you to the Club.
Gaelic is also played over here, mainly in Hanoi.
Where will you be based in Vietnam?
Regards
Phil Johns
National President
Tim said
I will be based in Ho Chi Minh. Can’t wait….