Matty Johns takes a screamer! 

Congratulations to Matty Johns and Rebecca Larkin on the birth of Jesse Johns today. Fantastic news. (Hopefully Jesse will be a good sleeper so Dad is well prepared for the Champs.)

Matt (a gun player) and Rebecca own the new Bobby Brewers at 400B Le Van Sy Street, Ward 14, District 3, sponsors of our new shorts which will be unveiled for the HMAS ANZAC match. Well worth dropping into Bobby’s for a celebratory coffee or beer.

Vietnam Swans Vs HMAS ANZAC, 27 August 2008

Up to 150 Navy personnel are expected to attend this match at RMIT, with the ball being bounced at 5pm. Former Ambassador and RMIT Supremo, Michael Mann will toss the coin and the Australian Consul General, Mal Skelly will present the trophy to the winning team.

Afterwards, food (provided by Al Frescos) and beverages (provided by Foster’s and Jim Beam) will be available for purchase. In an email forwarded to the Swans, the HMAS ANZAC is saying that this match could be “the highlight of our 6 month deployment”. The media will be in attendance at the match and a photo opportunity will be held, the day prior, aboard the ANZAC. Special t-shirts are being made for the day.

Unfortunately, with the match being in the middle of the working week, it will be difficult for the Hanoi crew to make it down to Saigon.

Pre Asian Champs fundraising BBQ, Saigon on Sunday 24 August 

$10 for the full on BBQ plus drinks pay as you go in District 2. Swans players are encouraged to BYOF (Bring your own friend) to the Barbie. Families most welcome. Swimming opportunities available.

Asian Champs, Singapore, 6 September

Tomorrow is the deadline to register players’ names for the Champs. Former President, now resident of Singapore, Dave Flyer Kainey will organize a bus to pick up the main arrival party of Swans when we touch down in Singapore.

Rod Campbell, Saigon, Monday 18 August

Rod has worked with the best AFL coaches in Australia and he’s the son of a VFL coach. He’s already met the boys in Hanoi. Tomorrow he meets the boys in Saigon at Highlands Coffee, Pham Ngu Lau, 6 – 7.30pm with some game strategy tips for us. Awesome.

Swimming to save lives

On Saturday 23 August in Hoi An, Michael Johnston and Michael francis will compete in the Hoi An Triathlon and in the process raise money to teach children how to swim. Drownings of children account for more deaths in this country than road accidents. The Alcan G3 Expat staff donated some money to the Vietnam Swans to give to an appropriate cause. This will be the cause.

The Vietnam Swans will also raffle off a 4.5 mega litre bottle of Jim Beam at the Navy match in support of the swimming lessons. The Intrepid Foundation will match all funds raised.

Grand Final Parties, Hanoi and Saigon, 27 September

In Hanoi, the Swans will again run the Grand Final Cyclo Parade on the Thursday night prior to the Grand Final. We dress up the cyclos in club colours, wear our Vietnam Swans jumpers and visit a number of pubs and spread the word about the coming Grand Final. Cracking fun.

IN Hanoi, the Grand Final Party is confirmed for JASPAS for just $30. Gee whiz. Sponsors include JVK, Tiger, the Al Frescos Group and Jim Beam. Welcome to Claire Bicks – Hanoi’s new Treasurer!!

In Saigon, the Grand Final Party is 95 per cent confirmed at… a bar that will be ideal for hosting the Grand Final Party. Watch this space.

During the week, the Sydney Swans donated two autographed footy jumpers for auction. One will be sent to Saigon and the other to Hanoi. How good is that??

Swans in the media

Scotty Stacey, Saigon President – Vietnam Swans, had an article about the Vietnam Swans published on his beloved Adelaide Crows website.

Phil Johns, National President – Vietnam Swans, had a wide ranging article that included things about the Vietnam Swans published in a Vietnamese magazine, Doanh Nhan Saigon (Saigon Businessmen’s Weekend) which was reproduced on VN Express.

Australia’s Best Footy Jumper

As part of the AFL’s celebration of 150 years of football, they are conducting a search for Australia’s best footy jumper. The Vietnam Swans entered our new jumper, designed by Blue Ink Asia and worn by Miss Australia, into the competition. Unfortunately, Gus was our model so no promises.

Also Coming Up

October – Malaysian Warriors, Saigon

November – Thailand Tigers and Lao Elephants, Cambodia

The Swans Blog hits 50,000

The Swans Blog has had its 50,000th hit. That’s half the population of the MCG!

The Blog, which reports without fear, favour or prejudice, is updated most days. For the full story always, log onto vietnamswans.com

As the boys from Hanoi say, Go you Swannies!!

Last week, the National Committee had its first telephone hook up between Hanoi and Saigon. Phil Fabbo Johns was elected National President (Scott Stacey is President Saigon and Potsy is President Hanoi). Danny Armstrong was elected National Treasurer. Scott Stacey (Saigon) and Charlie Williams (Hanoi) were elected as joint coaches for the 2008 Asian Champs in Singapore on 6 September.

HMAS ANZAC footy match, Saigon

In the week 25 – 29 August, the Australian naval frigate, HMAS ANZAC, will be in Saigon. We are currently working with the Australian Embassy in Hanoi to organize a footy match against the navy on Wednesday 27 August. The match is still to be confirmed but signs are looking extremely positive.

It’s expected that the navy will declare it to be an official function and therefore, potentially, we could have 180 people in attendance at RMIT.

Asian Champs

The Prospectus was received during the week for the Asian Champs which will be held in Singapore on 6 September. There will be 2 Groups, 4 matches played by each team in each group, 2 semi finals and one Grand Final.

The deadline for registration of players is 18 August. So, if you wish to play for the Vietnam Swans, please confirm asap.

In Saigon, we will hold a fundraising BBQ on 24 August. Contact us for specific details.

Sydney Swans Donate 2 Footies

The Vietnam Swans very gratefully received 2 Sherrins from the Sydney Swans. One will live in Hanoi and the other in Saigon.

Daniel Kerr’s autographed West Coast jumper

On the weekend, John and Mark Regan, uncles of West Coast Eagles’ superstar, Daniel Kerr arrived in Saigon. They arrived with a West Coast footy jumper autographed by Daniel as well as scarves, hats and stubby holders. They donated them to the Vietnam Swans to raise money for the Club. Absolutely fantastic.

Rod Campbell

Rod Campbell has been in Hanoi. He has extensive coaching experience in Australia working with coaching greats such as Denis Pagan. His father, Graham, was a former player and coach for Fitzroy. Rod gave those of us in Hanoi tips, insights and ideas into game strategies and training drills. He also made the observation that, as we’re spread across two cities, it’s imperative that we have the same training drills in each city to help us on match day (a cunning plan to get over the tyranny of distance for our Club!!).

Rod will travel down to Saigon later this week and we’re hoping he will be able to meet up with the Swans in Saigon.

AFL Grand Final Parties in Saigon.

There seems to have been some confusion about the organizers of the AFL Grand Final event that was written up in Saigon’s “The Word” and “Asialife” magazines. In one magazine it refers generically to the “Aussie Rules Football Club Vietnam” and in the other it refers to the “Saigon Australia Rules Football Club”.

While not mentioned at all in either article, the organizer of this event is the Saigon Saints. It is not the Vietnam Swans.

To ensure there’s no confusion, the Vietnam Swans are more than happy to give the Saigon Saints a plug. Their Grand Final Brunch, which they have hosted for many years – which also raises money for the Loreto Foundation – will be held at the Sheraton Hotel on 27 September.

As a playing Club, the Vietnam Swans are wanting something far less formal than a 5 Star Hotel. Accordingly, the Official Vietnam Swans AFL Grand Final Party in Saigon will be held at, you guessed it, a less formal venue (to be confirmed this week).

It’s fantastic that footy has grown to the point that Saigon can now host two separate Grand Final events catering to different market segments.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam Swans in Hanoi are working with JASPAS to put on another outstanding AFL Grand Final Party.

Other Matches

The Club has received a request from the Malaysian Warriors to play us on 9 October in Saigon. We are checking the availability of the RMIT oval.

We are still trying to confirm a date to play the Thailand Tigers and Lao Elephants in Phnom Penh at the beginning of November.

Mick Johnston and Mick Francis will take part in the Hoi An triathlon on 23 August raising money for children’s swimming lessons. The Intrepid Foundation will match each donation, dollar for dollar.

In Vietnam, more children die from drowning than road accidents each year.

For more information, contact Mick Johnston at

The Swans Blog hits 50,000!

This week, the Swans Blog at vietnamswans.com is expected to have its 50,000 hit.

Another Big Week

It’s not just Eddie McGuire, Heath Shaw and Alan Didak who have had a big week in football.