Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 29, 2008
Remember the boys went to Vung Tau for a footy boot camp the other weekend?
While they were there, they happened to drop in on the dish lickers – the Saturday night dog races. As expected, there was a rabbit for the doggies to chase. But, unexpectedly, the rabbit was dressed in the colours of the Swans!
Further proof of the pervasive influence across Vietnam of the Vietnam Swans…
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Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 27, 2008
We’ve all seen Jezza – and now, we’re about to see a lot more of the Muzza. Muzza, needing a bit of extra cash, has backed himself into the pack and resurrected the Vietnam Swans Annual Footy Tipping Comp.
That’sright, the Vietnam Swans tipping comp is back on. Expect an email from the Muzza giving you all the instructions you need to join our comp.
If for some reason you don’t receive the email, contact directly. Season 2008 will be a great season for the Swannies and the footy tipping comp. Bring it on!
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Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 23, 2008
The on Phillip Island, near Melbourne, “is the only museum of its kind in Australia that covers a specific period in Australia’s military history.
“The collection of around 6,000 artefacts exists to permanently record Australia’s longest commitment to any war, a period of 10 years that spanned from 1962.
“It presents the story of Australia’s military involvement at a time of deep division among the Australian population over conscription.”
Now, fast forward to January 2008. Maddie Johns (niece of current Swans President, Phil Johns – hence the Vietnam Swans hat) presented the museum with her Grade 4 project.
Her project does not make any reference to the war. It decribes life in Vietnam today. Maddie has stuck 20 Vietnamese flags into a foam board. Each flag presents a fact about Vietnam: population, currency, exports etc.
The juxtaposition of Maddie and her project in front of a photograph taken in time of war is stark. One represents the past. The other represents the future.
If you’re near Phillip Island, do drop into the for a factual and sensitive account of the Vietnam War (referred to by the Vietnamese as “the American War”).
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Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 22, 2008
Last weekend, the Saigon contingent of the Vietnam Swans went on a Footy Boot Camp down to Vung Tau.
Big Joe & Little Lek, Mighty Matty Johnsy, Muzzaaaaagh!, Captain G Very Angry Train, Drew Truckie and Fabulous Phil were all there. A special appearance by the Little Guy, Pacey Stacey at the Dog Races on the Saturday night was specially disappointing for the bookies.
The weekend was in preparation for the hit out against Malaysia on 8 March.
Speaking of the dogs, that’s where we trained: in the middle of the dog track for a couple of hours in the searing temperatures. Literally, half the team was sick (the night before). Fairly soft performance that.
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Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 18, 2008
The Swans’ hat has been seen in Antarctica! That’s right. Rub your eyes again and have another look at the photo.
Don McNeil was cruising through HCMC at the end of last year and spent a fair amount of time in the backpacker’s area of Pham Ngu Lau. He also spent a fair amount of time buying chewing gum from the stream of sellers trolling the strip before passing the chewy on to the stream of expectant children walking past.
Don also threatened to play footy for the Swans but bought a couple of our hats instead. He then flicked one off to his friend Tom who was cruising down to Antarctica last November. Don asked Tom to take a photo of the hat being worn by a “pretty girl… but as you can see, he obviously struggled to find one down there so he did the next best thing”.
What a series of sensational photos (including below).
Tom reports that the boat is due next week “…and it’s getting cold”. Tom, we’re hearin’ ya.
We’ve had some great photos of the Swans’ hat but the one above would have to be the best so far. How could you possibly beat this photo? You better put on your Swans thinking caps and then send your photos into the Blog.
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Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 18, 2008
In more “unheard of” news, another Swannies’ hat has been discovered in Sorrento.
Seems like there might be more Swans’ hats in Sorrento than there are Fairy Penguins at Phillip Island.
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Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 14, 2008
Over the Tet Lunar New Year, the Swans hat was seen in Cambodia – on the beach in Sihanoukville and on the border between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Also seen in Cambodia were Danny Armstrong, Pacey Stacey, Muzza and Phil Johns. Amazing scenes.
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Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 13, 2008
In news just to hand, Rooster has again spammed the Swans Blog – this time with an “unheard of” claim that the bloke on the left is none other than the 2007 Brownlow Medalist, Jimmy Bartel in Finland (photo on the right with Jimmy in Cat Attack mode… thanks be to the Geelong Advertiser).
According to Rooster, Bartel recently toured Santa’s home country, met up with the Footy Finns and donned one of their jumpers. Rooster shamelessly adds that the jumpers were made by the Big Rooster.
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Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 12, 2008
The AFL spotlight of Saturday’s AFL match in Dubai between Collingwood and Adelaide has lots of people talking.
All this talk is a far cry from the lead up to last year’s Asian Championships when the AFL Footy Record refused to make reference to the Champs because, unfortunately, “it kind of goes outside the scope of what we do“. The Swans’ President wrote to the Footy Record at the time to express his disappointment and to detail some ideas about the broader opportunities of using Australia’s signature sport to promote not just footy, but events and organisations with a link to Australia (see ).
If you’ve ever checked World Footy News’ , you will see just how many volunteer footy clubs already exist around the world. There’s a lot of energy out there.
Posted in AFL, Asian Footy, Our Sponsors | 1 Comment »
Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 11, 2008
Sometimes, it is the similarities that are more striking than the differences. Vietnam is renowned for carrying everything on its motorcycles which has been the source of inspiration for books like .
Apparently, some bloke in Melbourne on the Eastern Freeway was photographed carrying his BBQ on his motorbike – two weekends ago on Australia Day weekend.
“Well, how else did you expect me to carry it?”
Unheard of.
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Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 11, 2008
Francois Trinh Duc, a Viet Kieu, is just 21 – “and no one has ever heard of him”, according to in England.
Francois was to make his debut for the French National Rugby Team against Scotland yesterday at “outside half”. Apparently, he was only playing there “because he grew too big for his original position of scrum half”.
As a proudly Aussie Rules Blog, the Swans Blog doesn’t profess to understand the finer points of growing too big, original positions or scrotum halfs. Nevertheless, if Francois Trinh Duc has made France’s national rugby team, that would seem like a very impressive performance. Congratulations.
Click on for the full expose.
When will our first Viet Kieu debut in the AFL?
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Posted by Vietnam Swans on February 11, 2008
The Gulf News has reported that in the curtain raiser prior to the Adelaide – Collingwood match, .
Given that Collingwood decided to become a sister club of the Dubai Dingoes and both sisters were trounced by similar margins (Collingwood was beaten 136 – 55), there are no prizes for guessing what seems to be the selection criteria for picking sisters!
The Swans Blog can report that the coach of the Dubai Heat was one of our own – Jeremy “Jezza” Palmer. Jeremy debuted for us on 6 March 2006 against the Malaysian Warriors as… our Water Boy. But he was the Water Boy with a difference. Even though he had literally just arrived in Vietnam and virtually none of us had even met him prior to him picking up the water, we all started doing what he told us to do on the paddock!
Three weeks later when we played the Jakarta Bintangs, we knew of Jezza’s prodigious talents. This time he played on the field, fed the footy down the throat of the forwards and we won our first ever match.
Expect a short review from Jeremy of the Dubai match on the Blog very soon.
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